Soul Mates
by SSailorSScoutSS
Summary: My mother use to tell me of stories from a long time ago. Stories of how people found their partners, mates. Their Soul Mates. I had always believed her when my mother spoke of these stories. Their love was so pure, it just had to be true. These were all my innocent thoughts as a child. How very foolish I was to believe that Soul Mates could really exist amongst everyone.
1. Chapter 1

Trigger warnings for this chapter. Non-con, angst, and overall sad feels.

Un-beta-ed

Tides - Crywolf & Skrux

CHAPTER UPDATED: OCTOBER 28, 2017

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Soul Mates

Chapter 1

My mother was an amazing story teller. She use to tell me stories of old that happen long ago, stories of how people found their partners, or mates. Their Soul Mates. These stories would always start the same. My mothers gaze would travel away to another time, a more enjoyable time. She always spook about my grandparents and how they found each other while running away from arranged marriages that their parents had organized for them.

"It was an accident really," my mother would tell me, "They both met on a train heading to

Hasetsu on a snowy winter day. The train was crowded and only one seat remained available left on the train. Your grandmother took the seat which just happened to be with your grandfather."

I had always believed her when my mother spoke of these stories. Their love was so pure, it just had to be true.

Knowing my grandparents now, I have a really hard time picturing the two of them meeting while escaping from an arranged marriage. It really does seem too good to be true. To this day, I've never seen them fight a single day in their lives. It seemed as though they really understood each other, almost as though they were on a different wavelength from the people surrounding them. My grandmother would know when my grandfather would be having a bad day and always had his favourite dish, hot and ready to eat, waiting for him when he would arrive back home to our family inn and hot spring. I would help her prepare dinner when I was allowed to. Grandfathers favourite dish was katsudon. We had it so often that it eventually became my favourite dish too.

I asked my mother one day why we were eating katsudon again and she looked at me with a knowing look on her face. A few minutes later, I could hear my grandfather walking in and taking his shoes off mumbling in the genkan before going silent for a moment. He would walk over to the kitchen and sniff the air before saying "Katsudon?" Then he would walk over to my grandmother before kissing her forehead and she just looked up at him smiling.

"What about when you and dad met?" I asked her one night while tucking me in to bed. "How did you know he was your Soul Mate?"

My mother had always avoided this topic but me being my little four year old self at the time of hearing these stories could never pick up the hints. My mother paused for a second before folding the bedsheets over my body and sat down to tell her story.

"Your father and I met while i was in my second year of College," my mother said to me after a long pause. "He was a very impressive man, always the talking point of everyone attending the college. But for some reason, I never quite got along with him. I wouldn't say I was a quiet girl growing up, but i tried to stay out of the spotlight of others. We had a few classes together and your father would always come to talk to me after class was done. I would purposely take my time getting my things together or say I would be staying later so he would leave but he just sat down and studied with me while the rest of his friends looked over and snickered at us. He would constantly try to eat lunch with my friends and I, but I always brushed him off until one day, he finally called me out on avoiding him all the time." A small smile escaped my mothers lips and pulled one out of mine as well. She paused for a moment to reach a hand towards me to brush a few stray strand of my messy bangs out of my face. The smile slowly turned over at the corner of her lips.

"Eventually, I gave in and we started talking," She said with a slight huff. "I noticed that we had matching Soul Marks." That was one thing I never understood, some Soul Mates like my mother and father had these markings on their bodies and some Soul Mates didn't. My grandmother and grandfather didn't have any markings on their bodies. I had always wanted to ask them about it, what their mark was, but my mother told me that it was rude to ask to see another persons mark. My mother told me where hers was though. A simple rose stencil hidden behind her right ear. "Your father had seen my mark one day while I was walking past him to get into class. I always wore my hair down so my mark was normally hidden but I had a clip pulling back my hair that day. He saw and realized we had matching Soul Mate marks and thus was trying as hard as he could to try to get me to speak with him. It took him about three months of talking before he finally told me that he had the same mark as well. After that… Well, the rest is history. We were in love and started our lives together."

A yawn slowly escaped my mouth and my mother laughed. "Alright Yuri, that's enough story time for tonight." She took my glasses from my face and placed them on the night stand beside me before bending down to place a kiss on my forehead.

"Goodnight" I mumbled back as I closed my eyes. Once the door was closed though, i quickly reached towards my night stand and switched on the lights before shoving the covers away slightly. I looked down towards my left ankle to make sure my mark was still their. A tiny figure skate was etched into my skin just on the inside of my ankle. I smiled giddy at my mark before squirming and pulling the sheets back over my head, excited by the fact that someday, I would be able to find my own Soul Mate. It would be a beautiful thing just like my grandmother and grandfather. It would be a challenge to find my Soul Mate since it was in such a hard to see spot but nevertheless, a hope for a future for sure.

These were all my innocent thoughts as a child. I realize now how very foolish I was to believe that Soul Mates could really exist in this world amongst everyone.

I remember one night, when i was 8 years old, I had been in my room asleep after a long day at the Ice Castle. It was around two in the morning when I woke up to a clattering noise coming from downstairs in the main part of the inn. I crawled out of my bed and brought my foot down to the floor slowly testing how sore my feet were. I had skated longer than I usually would have and paid for it by walking away with blisters on my feet. The pain wasn't as bad as it was earlier so I padded my way over to my door groggy, slowly opening it to hear voices arguing and carrying the sound through hallway.

"Helping with what? Standing here and doing nothing the entire day? Nobody is visiting this shit hole of an inn anyways!" I heard my father shouting. That woke me up more.

"What matters isn't whether you are helping out with the inn," I hear my mothers voice reply exasperated. "It's that you are never here for your son or daughter!" her voice raised a few notches. I slowly tiptoed out of my room and headed towards the stairs. I glanced over at my sisters room. Her room was farther down the hall than mine was and her door was closed.

"Not helping them? I am helping out with them! I am bringing an income in for those kids to eat and play. I am out getting a job, paying for those damn skating lessons and rink time that boy wants! I'm putting food on the table for this family to survive." I hear loud noise come out from the kitchen and quickly make my way down the stairs but still stay hidden so my parents can't see me. My dads fist is clenched on the table. "What have you been doing? Attending to an empty inn? Sitting inside doing nothing but staring at the entrance hoping that one day, some lone stranger is just going to straggle in? Hope that a fortune magically falls in front of your face? Get your head out of the clouds Hiroko!" My father swung his arm wildly knocking over a cup sitting on the table, it flew across the room towards the wall beside the door before shattering.

I let out a small gasp of surprise exposing where I was hiding. My father turns to me, fists clenched at his side and the sight of the broken dish laying on the floor.

"This is all your fault, you stupid kid!" He shouts pointing his finger at me and taking quick angry steps towards him.

"TOSHIYA!" My mother shouted at him stepping in front of me, blocking my vision of him. "Yuri has nothing to do with this." My mother turned towards me and showed me one of her big smiles, ones that she had been forcing herself to show me more often. "Yuri, go back upstairs. Back to bed please. I'm sorry father and mother are making so much noise. You can go back now." She waved her hand at me telling me to shoo. I stayed rooted to my spot though, scared of what would happen if I left the room.

"Brat-"

"Yuri," my mother interrupted. "It's fine. Go on ahead." I nodded my head slightly and stepped backwards out of the room slowly and then made a dash the rest of the way to the stairs but I paused at them before going up. I turned back to look at the kitchen before I placed my foot on the first step and started walking on the spot. I counted 15 loud steps making them slightly quieter with each step i took and then paused and held my breath. There was silence in the kitchen for what felt like an eternity.

"Listen here, Hiroko." I heard my father continue, more quietly than before after a few moments. I let my breath out and slid down the wall to sit on the bottom step. "Your ideal fantasies won't come true. I'm doing what I can to support everyone and if that means doing the job I'm doing now, then so be it." I heard some shuffling sounds and movement coming form the kitchen before hearing one of the most heartbreaking sounds i'd ever heard.

My mother was crying.

I'd only heard her cry one other time, my grandparents service. It was a car accident. There was a car was speeding and took a turn too fast on a blind curve and hit them. My mother didn't show any signs of emotion when she received the call. I had no idea anything was wrong. Then the service day came I i found out why I hadn't seen my grandparents in over two weeks. That sight was one of the hardest things to see and only made me cry more and cling to my mother.

And now here she was again, crying.

"I don't want it to be like this anymore." I had to strain my ears to really hear what she was saying. "I want it to be like before. We aren't happy anymore." A broken sob escaped her mouth. I finally felt confident enough to make my way back to the kitchen. Slowly and as quietly as possible, I returned to peek from the door again.

"What would you want me to do then?" My father asked. He pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. I'd seen that face before and nothing good had ever come when he did that.

"Stop sleeping around and calling that a job."

A slap echoed out from across the kitchen. My mouth dropped open, a shout ready to leave my mouth but a hand was slapped over it. Another hand wrapped around my waist and pulled backwards. I struggled against my captor, trying desperately to shake them off and make my way towards my mother.

"Quiet, Yuri" I heard my sister whisper to me. I struggled, still wanting to reach out to my mother. "Stop struggling, you'll only make things worse!" I calmed down slightly only to hear my father lash out at my mother in anger again.

"You think I have a choice in this situation? I already told you, we can't survive! This is as much for you as it is for the rest of them."

"Then find another job! One that doesn't involve having sex with people other than your Mate!"

There was silence in the kitchen. I stood there confused at the sudden silence. I had heard these words before but never really understood what they really meant. I found out the hard way what those words meant. My sister and I watched my dad made a move to grab grab my mothers wrist and manoeuvre her around the kitchen. We watched her try to shove my father, scratch his arm as he handled her. We watched him push her to lean over the table and hold her arms in a painful position behind her back without her letting out a single sound of complaint. We watched him pull down clothes. We watched-

My sister was crying. I felt her tears falling down as they landed down my cheek, or were they my tears? I couldn't tell. She pulled me towards her and shoved her face into the crook of my neck shaking and unable to watch anymore.

"Soul Mates be damned." My father said as he walked away and stormed towards the door. My sister shoved me as far into the wall as possible. We watched my father walk away to the genkan and out of the inn.

The door closed with a loud slam and then the house was silent except for my mothers soft sobs finally escaping from her, still in the same spot she was left in.

This was the first time I truly hated and was terrified of the idea of Soul Mates.

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Reviews fill the void xox


	2. Chapter 2

Un-beta-ed

Russian Roulette - Rihanna

CHAPTER UPDATED: DECEMBER 23, 2017

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Soul Mates

Chapter 2

I stepped onto the ice for my first time at the age of 3. My mother couldn't wait to get me on the ice once she had taken a closer look at my ankle and realized that little speck wasn't just a birth mark but that it really was my Soul Mate mark. I was a bit of a chubbier kid -not my fault, I blame my grandfather and his love for katsudon, so she was excited to finally have an activity that we could both participate in and have some mother-son time… and also to help get rid of some of the excess to by body. I'll never forget the first time I walked onto the ice clutching onto her hand for dear life, terrified of falling onto the ground.

"Now, Yuri" my mother said while skating backwards with ease, holding one of my hands in each of her own while dragging me across the ice, "I want you stand still, and spread your arms out. Try to hold your balance by yourself, okay?"

I did as she had instructed me. My legs were buckling and quivering like mad. "You're doing fine!" I heard my mother say as she skated behind me. "Okay Yuri, deep breath." I did as she told me again.

"One…" Wait.

"Two…" Why are you count-

"Three!" I felt both of her hands on my back as she gave me a push forward on my skates. I remember letting out a terrified scream as i glided across the ice. My mom said she was cheering me on but I would never have heard her over my little cries. I saw the rink boards coming closer towards me.

"Yuri, try turning!" My mother told me as she glided across the ice with ease. She skated up in front of me to show me how to turn. I threw my arms out towards her trying to hold on to her as she passed me but she was too quick. Somehow, franticly waving arms managed to do the trick for me as I kept following her away from the boards and back down the ice to the other end of the rink.

It was an incredible feeling. My mother always had the biggest smile on her face while watching me. I fell in love with the freedom that the ice gave me and the fact that it made my mother so happy. My mother would take me to the Ice Castle every week. I slowly ended up making friends with one of the girls from the rink. Her name is Yuko. She was two years my senior and showed me everything she knew about figure skating, from jumps and turns to the rules and educate of the ice. I never thought much of it when I was younger but as I became more confident on the ice, I found myself wanting to know more and more.

She was an excellent figure skater. Yuko had the title of "Madonna" at the rink since she had amazing natural talents at such a young age. I remember when I was 4 years old and had finally mastered stopping on the ice properly. I showed Yuko my mastered skill.

"Tada!" I shouted, throwing my arms out to my side as I stopped a foot away.

"Wow, Yuri! You've improved so much!" A huge grin spread across my face, but my happy moment was cut short when i heard a blade scraping on the ice before I was suddenly flat on my face on the ice, shoved to the ground by another skater.

"Out of my way, fatso!" Takeshi, one of the other boys who frequented the rink said to me. He was the same age as Yuko and a far better skater than I was.

"Takeshi!" Yuko exclaimed. "Be nice to Yuri!"

"Fatso, fatso!" Takeshi called out at me while sticking his tongue out at me.

"Hey!" Yuko shouted back raising her fist in the air. Takeshi laughed and took off back down the ice while Yuko skated off after him shouting at him the entire time.

That was one of the first memories I have of all of us together. I ended up being good friends with Takeshi despite all the teasing he did to me. It did have an upside though. I found out that Ice Castle was actually owned by Takeshi's family. They had allowed me to come skating whenever I wanted outside of class time since I was one of his "good friends".

Our friendship did grow between all of us. Yuko cheered us on and watched our classes even when hers would be hours later. We did the same of course. I never hesitated to say yes when they asked me to stay. The Ice Castle was my safe haven, sheltering me from everything at home.

I was 12 years old when I decided to really take skating seriously. Skating was my "out" for every situation. When things weren't going well at home, the rink was always a safe spot for me to be in and just lose myself for hours skating. I would assist the coaches with their classes by demonstrating skills and correcting posture amongst the other students. My mother was against the idea. She knew how invested I was into the sport and noticed me sneaking away from the inn to go to the rink at every opportunity I had. She would come by the rink and apologize profoundly to Takeshi's parents and shout at me to get off the ice and come home but everyone encouraged me to stay.

"I'm sorry for any disturbances he has caused you." My mother said while bowing towards Takeshi's father. She had put her hand on my head too forcing me to bow slightly as well. Takeshi's father just burst out laughing though.

"It's fine, no harm done. Besides, this rink doesn't get much action so it's nice to see the young ones so into the sport!" he said placing a hand on my hair and ruffling it up. I let out a small huff of air while trying to fix my hair back into place. I glanced up at my mother to see if she was still as upset as she was when she first entered the rink grounds to pick me up.

"Why don't you let him stay for a little while longer? I can make sure he gets home safe and sound." Takeshi spoke up from behind his father. "That way I can have a skating partner! Yuko and I need one badly! There is only so much "fluffy fluff" and "kya kya" I can take from Yuko while she skates" Takeshi said making a face glaring at Yuko from a distance while she was taking her class on the ice.

I swear I heard her sneeze from out there.

My mother let out a small laugh and then sighed before crouching down to my level.

"Listen well, Yuri" My mother started. "No horsing around here, okay? You are only allowed to stay as long as you promise to take this time seriously and practice."

"Yes!" I beamed a smile up at my mom.

"Yuri! Takeshi! Viktor is on the television! He's about to perform in the Junior Worlds right now! Hurry!" We heard Yuko's voice trail out from the skate rental room. Takeshi and I exchanged a quick look before dashing off to see. I missed my mother shaking her head at me before she bowed again slightly to Takeshi's father and turning to leave the rink.

Viktor Nikiforov, 16 years of age was on TV performing for the Junior World Championships with a prediction of winning Gold in both the Long and Short skate for the third year in a row. He was Yuko's idol and we could all see why. His performances were spellbinding. He wasn't just skating a routine on the ice, he was telling a story through his skating. You could feel all of his emotions through the screen. My eyes were always glued to the television during his performances, hushing and glaring daggers all those who tried to interrupt the moments while he skated.

Yuko and I aspired to perform like Viktor. We wanted to captivate our audiences but to do that, we had to change our entire style of skating. We changed the ways we prepped for our jumps and turns. Everything from our attitude and mental prep before beginning our skate program changed as we used him as motivation to better ourselves. Viktor opened up a new meaning to skating for me. It also brought Yuko and I closer together since we shared similar interests and styles and opinions now for similar topics.

"Viktor has a poodle!" Yuko said to me one day while shoving a magazine at me. "It's super cute!" She squealed in delight. And it was. The poodle really was amazing. Viktor would show the poodle off everywhere he went.

And of course, I wanted to be exactly like Viktor so that night, I went home and begged my mom to get a puppy. I tried to come up with reasons that would benefit the family, and that it wasn't just me being selfish and wanting a dog to be Viktor 2.0. Of course, my request was rejected right away but I kept asking every few days and kept mentioning how wonderful a dog would be in the house since it was so quiet. My sister scolded me at trying to force a dog into the house.

"We have an inn, Yuri. Stop trying to add more work to our job! I don't have time to be cleaning up dog fur everywhere!" and she did have a point. It was one thing to have a dog in a family home but it was another thing to try and raise one when your home was a public area for others to enjoy and relax in. Still, I tried hard to convince my mother to let us have a dog in the family.

She finally gave in when I turned 16 years old. I remember running over to meet with Yuko and Takeshi with my new puppy in my arms.

"His name is Viktor" I told them. Yuko laughed while Takeshi gave an annoyed sigh.

"You really like Viktor, don't you?" Yuko laughed as she picked up Viktor from my arms. "I hope I can see you compete against Viktor some day soon!"

Unfortunately, after starting high school, the amount of time I was allowed to spend in the rink was shortened greatly and the amount of time I ended up spending with my two closest friends became less and less as the weeks went on.

It was on my 17th birthday, when I learned another valuable lesson regarding Soul Mates. The topic had risen up on the odd occasion amongst Yuko and I. Yuko would always bring the topic up. I always avoided the topic. She had always told me that she never believed in the whole Soul Mates idea and that it was just a hopeless fairy tail. Until one day, she had changed her story slightly.

"Do you ever get the feeling like you've met your Soul Mate already?" She asked me one day while we were unlacing our skates after a long practice. I mumbled a maybe from where I was sitting. I never gave it much thought, and she knew this given my situation at home. "Do you have a mark, Yuri?"

"Yes, but it's hidden away in a place that nobody can see it." I said pulling off my skate. It felt as though the are around my mark started pulsing. I shook my head slightly. "What about you?" I asked as I moved to my other skate.

Yuko grinned at me before she called out to Takeshi, who was putting away skates from the last class, motioning for him to come over and sit down. They shared a quick look and nodded. I stared at them eyebrows drawn in with confusion. They smiled at each other before they both grabbed at the collars of their shirts and pulled down slightly to reveal their collarbones.

My eyes grew wide in shock. Their, sitting on the right side of their collarbone was an intricate snowflake etched into their skin. I stared at it for a few moments feeling a tight pain around my ankle. There was a slight burning sensation behind my eyes. I grinned happily at them and said congratulations to the two of them.

"Actually, Yuri" Takeshi said, interrupting our joyful moment. "We've known about this since we were around 13 years old, we just didn't know how to tell you and everything since your family…"

"It's okay" I told them, "Really, it's okay. I'm happy for you two." I felt a little awkward after saying this though, the feeling of needing to turn and walk away was strong. I needed to move, to get out of there. "I'm going to call it a night for today. Good practice everyone!" I shouted at them as I took off towards the door.

There was a dull aching pain coming from my chest. Flashbacks of when we all first met, all the joyous times I shared with Yuko, the celebrations of watching Viktor compete and me trying to make myself exactly like Viktor. Overtime, I had slowly realized that I was changing my style, not because I wanted to be like Viktor, but because I wanted to be the Viktor that Yuko would come to like.

And I was okay with that.

Because Yuko was supposed to love Viktor.

But I'm not Viktor. And I never will be.

I burst through the front doors and took off running in the night back towards the inn. I could feel the tears flowing now as realization slowly crept in. I was in love with Yuko. With something that would never be. The throbbing in my ankle sprung up again, much more noticeable this time to the point that I couldn't run on that foot anymore. So I stopped, and I stood looking towards the sky as I let the reality sink in.

She was in love with someone else, and that someone else loved her back.

That was the second time that I utterly hated the Soul Mates mark for existing.

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Reviews fill the void xoxo


	3. Chapter 3

Un-Beta-ed

Might have to clean up the ending of this chapter a bit.

Soul Mates

Chapter 3

My mother knocked on my bedroom door after the third day in a row of avoiding Ice Castle. I told her that I wasn't feeling well, which wasn't really a lie, but it wasn't a full truth either. I didn't want to practice anymore. I had come to realize that the only reason why I was skating, was because Yuko, who had became my first friend, idolized someone and me being foolish enough thought i could turn her eyes on me if i became that person.

I would always just agree with her whenever she said that I really liked Viktor, and I did try to believe that I really did like him and was practicing because I wanted to be like him but the truth came out once I had learned about Yuki and Takeshi's Soul Marks.

"Yuri" my mother knocked on my door again. I didn't answer. I heard her sigh. It was silent for a few minutes that it almost lead me to believe that my mother had actually leave but i knew better than that. "I don't understand what's gotten into you," she continued. "You were so in love with skating! What's changed in you now? You go to school and then you lock yourself in your room for the rest of the day! Don't make me call Yuko and Takeshi!"

I got out of my bed and sprinted to the door opening it wide.

"Don't!" I shouted at her. She stared at me with a knowing look. "Don't call them… either of them!" My mother reached her hand out to cup the side of my face, her thumb tracing the underside of my eye wiping away at unfelt tears.

"Soul Mates can be tricky things, Yuri." my mother told me. "They can make or break a person. They can bring about new friendships but they can also break long lasting friendships in a quick moment leaving you to wonder how you were surviving as friends beforehand." She leaned forward and wrapped both of her arms around me, pulling me in for a hug.

I knew she was speaking from experience, and that pained me ever more.

"There isn't a point in me skating anymore. My whole reason for skating was to try and impress someone but now that someone is occupied by somebody else, what's the point of continuing?" I said mumbling into her shoulder. She pulled me back and looked at me with a stern expression.

"Do you not remember the times we use to skate together?"

"I do but-"

"Were they not fun times? If i recall, they were just you and me time. I don't know about you, Yuri, but I always had an amazing time watching you skate. And this was before you had ever met Yuko or Takeshi. Why not just skate for the fun of it again?"

I couldn't respond. It was true that I use to have fun skating but Ice Castle was the only skating rink in Hasetsu. It wasn't like i could just travel to another skating rink since there were none nearby.

"Oh, just go back to skating, Yuri." a voice said from behind my mother. I pulled away to see my sister glaring at me from behind her. "You've done something good your whole life, it would be such a waste to suddenly give it up."

"But-"

"I mean, it's not like mom wasn't the one paying for your ice time, money that she could have spent in advertising for the Inn or gotten something nice for herself, or-"

"Mari" my mother said in an icy tone that she rarely used.

"What? I'm only saying the truth." Mari said as she walked away back towards the entrance of the inn. My mother looked back at me.

"Just go to the rink and skate again, try it one more time and see if you really don't like it anymore. If you don't, then I won't force you to go again. Sound fair?" She asked me.

I nodded my head and went back to my room to go grab my skates.

* * *

By the time I had gotten to Ice Castle, it was 15 minutes before the rink was to close. I walked past the doors and approached the skate rental.

"Sorry, we're about to close up." A voice called out from behind the rows of skates. A head peered out from behind them after a moment. "Oh, it's just you, Yuri." Takeshi's father said with a smile on his face. "I was wondering where you were. Did you want to skate? I won't be leaving here until another hour or so after closing up. I have some paper work I need to get through with the new seasons skaters registrations. You're welcome to stay until I finish."

"I can always just come back another day." I told him getting ready to turn my back and walk towards the door.

"Nonsense! You've been skating at this rink for years, this place is just as much your home as it is mine. Go ahead. I'll call you when I'm done." He said before walking away.

I walked over to one of the benches and got my skates tied up before making my way over to the rink. It was silent and empty, the ice freshly cleaned after a long day of skaters. It was calling out to be skated on. I shook my head at the thought and took off my skate guards before entering onto the ice. After shuffling on the spot side to side for a moment, I took off down the rink at full speed. Once the end of the rink appeared, I crossed my skate over skate to turn and continued back down to the other end of the rink.

After a few laps of this, I switched to skating backwards and backwards crossovers down the rink. I worked my way around the rink once, twice, three times before moving to the centre of the rink.

I glided into a semi circle before pausing and placing one foot on point behind me. I waited there for a few moments before taking a deep breath and starting the routine i knew best.

I looked up towards the roof of Ice Castle lifting up one arm towards the roof before bringing it back down again. I pushed off of my back leg to spin out of my starting position before I started gliding across the ice. The moves were so familiar to me after years of studying and practicing them.

I was gearing myself up for my first jump, a triple Lutz. I did a few simple crossovers before pushing off of my back foot and spinning in the opposite direction before landing and extending my leg to glide out back onto the ice, just as I had seen Viktor do hundreds of times.

"Why try to mimmic someone who you will never be?"

A voice stopped me in my tracks. I turned to see an older gentleman with his hair pulled back into a ponytail sitting in the stands.

I wiped some of the sweat off of my face before saying "Excuse me?".

"Why are you trying to be another Viktor?" the man said to me.

"Viktor is the one who's style i grew up learning." I said staring back at the man.

"Again."

"Excuse me?" I repeated.

"I said for you to start it again. From the beginning."

This guy is a grouchy old man. Still, I went back to the middle of the rink again, glided into a semi circle before extending out my back leg again. I looked up towards the roof with my arm raising up before coming back down again and pushed off my back leg.

"Again."

I stared up at the man. What was his problem? For some reason though, I complied and went back again and started from the beginning.

"You're too fragile and scared. Become Viktor. Become the performer if you really want to be like Viktor. Again."

This continued for another twenty minutes.

"Agai-"

"ENOUGH!" I shouted at the man. "Look, I don't know who you are, but I don't understand why you are getting me to repeat the same sequence over and over again and not even letting me finish the rest of the routine." I stopped and put my hands on my knees panting slightly.

"How are you expecting to be another Viktor if you can't even master the way he starts his performances? Viktor captures the audiences attention before the music even begins. His entrance to his routine only further captivates those who were too scared to look at first. All I see, is a wanna be skater trying to copy something that he will never be."

"WELL MAYBE I DON'T WANT TO BE THE NEXT VIKTOR." I shouted at the man, annoyed at all of his degrading comments. "Why can't I be the first Yuri Katsuki? Why can't I just take Viktor's skating style and make it my own? Is that not what I was trying to show you? You just never let me finish my routine." A smile played across the mans face.

"You can have similar styles but still create your own style, Yuri. You don't have to be a perfect copy to win the hearts of the audience. Your footwork is much faster, sharper and cleaner than what Viktor can do. Your turn sequences have so much potential in them. You need to focus on your own talents instead of hiding them by trying to become a copy of something you can never be. Let me help you. Let me coach you and train you," The older man said. He got up from his spot in the stands and walked down towards the gate entrance to the rink. I skated towards his extended had.

"My name is Celestino Cialdini. I'm a friend of Takeshi's father." I hesitated for a few moments before deciding to accept his extended hand.

This was the first time I was actually happy that my Soul Mate mark had caused me heartache, for without having any feelings for Yuko, I would have never pursued skating like how I do now. I would have never skated as intensely as I do now, and would never have lead me to be one of Japans top figure skaters.


	4. Chapter 4

Un-Beta-ed

I can't believe there is only one more episode left for YOI.

Soul Mates

Chapter 4

Agreeing to Celestino Cialdini becoming my coach was a blessing in disguise. Celestino was strict on me. He pushed me to become a better skater than I could have ever become on my own. My footwork had improved greatly. My spin combinations had increased in difficulty and were always spoken about highly during competitions.

Every so slowly, the spotlight had turned my way. It started off with a simple interview from a local news station. Then another one. And another one. The questions would always be the same; what got me into skating, where my home rink was, what my goals were for the future. All easy to answer questions but I really started looking forward to these interviews after I received a call from my mother one day.

"Yuri! You'll never guess what happened!" my mother screamed into the phone. I pulled it away cringing slightly before asking her what had her so excited. "We have customers! Not just one or two but we have gotten about 8 rooms booked now for the next 2 weeks! I don't remember the last time we were this busy! They just suddenly started calling! I thought it was just a coincidence but then they asked if this was the inn owned by Yuri Katsuki's family and then the bookings were suddenly decided!" I held the phone to my ear, mouth slightly open, shocked at hearing that we were having our first customers in what must have been years, and multiple ones at that.

"Yuri? Are you still there?"

"I am. I just… I don't know what to say" I had mentioned that my family owned an inn located in Hasetsu. I never mentioned the name or anything so the chances of them finding the exact inn were slim but somehow, people have started to find the place.

"It's wonderful! We are going to be busy busy from now on!"

"That's great. Listen, I'm still in the middle of practice, is it all right if we talk about this when I get back home today?"

"Of course, enjoy your practicing. Say hello to Celestino for me." my mother said before hanging up the phone.

Today was supposed to be the day I asked my mother for permission to take my skating to the next level. Celestino had found another skater he wanted to coach. A boy by the name of Phichit Chulanont. He was three years younger than me but he must be great if Celestino had his eyes on him. The only issue is that the boy was from Thailand and I, from Japan. Celestino also had his time running short as he needed to head back to his home rink in Detroit. He asked me if I would continue to train with him and travel with him to Detroit.

I wanted to. Badly.

Celestino had awakened a new passion in me to perform and skate. He was creating my own style of performance instead of being a foolish attempt of a copy of Viktor. There were some habits I couldn't get rid of while skating since the multiple years of performing these skills has taken a tole on the muscle memory when performing, but Celestino was doing a great job of coming up with drills and ways to overwrite the muscle memory.

The phone call with my mother just further pushed my want to travel to Detroit. Not only was Detroit where the best of the best skaters went to train in America, but if he started taking his training as seriously as he could, perhaps he could attract more attention to the family inn. I hadn't heard my mother sound that excited in what felt like years. If i could start getting my name out there, our inn would finally be back in business.

* * *

Dinner that night was one full of talk filled with excitement. My mother was in constant talk about cleaning up the inn for use, looking at replacing some old futon that we had with new ones, and other things to do to spice up the inn before we started having our first guests stay. My sister sensed that I had something to say so she was entertaining my mothers thoughts and keeping the conversation going.

"What do you think, Yuri?" my mother suddenly asked me, catching me off guard.

"Huh?"

My mother gave me a hard look. She placed her chopsticks down and took a deep breath before starting the conversation back up again. This time, it wasn't about the inn.

"What's going on with your training these days?"

That was it. The one topic I wanted to talk about but was so desperate to avoid at the same time.

"It's going pretty good. I'm in the process of doing some stamina training. Celestino says that if i can get my stamina up, then I could be able to add more jumps into my routine to increase my base value for competing."

"That sounds like your making great progress then." my mother said before taking her cup of tea in her hands and bringing it towards her. "And I guess that this training will continue once you are in Detroit, correct?" she said then took a sip of her tea.

I paused reaching towards the tamago in one of the side dishes on the table and glanced my head towards my mother. She had her eyes closed while she drank. Only after putting her cup back down on the table, did she open her eyes to look at me. What I saw was a look of understanding, encouragement but also a look of hurt on her face.

"It's not like i've made a decision to go yet. I can always stay here and train while helping out with the inn."

"And do what?" my sister joined in. "Be useless in the shop? You were never trained to fully help out around here. If anything, you'd be in the way. You would be doing us all a favour by taking your talents to somewhere where they would be useful instead of causing more work for me by cleaning up after you." I stared in shock at her. My sister was never really 100% supportive of my skating obsessions.

"The least you can do is win a few medals for us to decorate the inn with." She said smiling at me. "When are you leaving?"

"Sometime within the next week. Celestino has to leave by this Wednesday but he said he can wait until Monday at the latest, otherwise i'm on my own to get to Detroit."

"Well, we had better get packing everything. It's not nice to keep your coach waiting. They can always just decide to find another protege to focus on." My mother said with a mask over her face, hiding any emotions from us for the duration of my stay left in Japan.

* * *

The night before I left my family for the first time, I felt a strange pulsating from my ankle. I had overworked myself slightly today since it would be the last time skating for almost a week as I got settled down in Detroit. I pulled the bedsheets away from me and turned on the light on my bedside table. I poked around my ankle trying to find the sore spot to give it a quick massage but I couldn't locate it. It wasn't my ankle being sore from overtraining, it was my Soul Mate mark. It felt as though there was a heart beat right overtop of the mark, almost feeling as though a dull thudding could be heard.

I placed my palm overtop of my mark, covering it up. It was a mark that I had grown to hate, but I couldn't help wonder if their was any hidden meaning behind it having this sort of reaction the day before I take the biggest move of my life.


	5. Chapter 5

Un-Beta-ed

Warning: Angst ahead. Sorry ahead of time.

Soul Mates

Chapters 5

"Yes I'm eating properly, mother" I said into the receiver of my phone. "No, I'm not overeating." Always a weight issue whenever I speak with her nowadays. "Yes everything is way bigger in portion here but-" I got cut off by my mother lecturing me about the same topic again for what must have been the 7th time within 3 weeks. This all happened because I made one comment to her about Celestino mentioning my weight having gone up by about 4 pounds since the last time I had been weighed during my physio session.

"When will you be coming back for a visit?" My mother asked me. I hadn't seen my family in almost 2 years now. I was now 21 years old and had been training with Celestino for a little over three years.

"Yuri!" My rink mate Phichit called out to me from the ice rink. I had stepped out off the ice for a quick breather. He was motioning for me to make my way back to the ice. I turned my eyes to the skybox in the rink and caught a glimpse of Celestino turning away from the window, indicating his return to the ice any minute now.

"Not sure. I haven't had a chance to look. I've really been focusing on-"

"On your upcoming competitions, I know. You only like to look at the competition one at a time, instead of tackling the whole situation before hand. I'm always cheering for you, Yuri. Get back to practice now, we are about to call it a night on our end now."

It was always hard hearing my mother ask when I would be arriving back home. Truth be told, I already had a ticket booked for Japan for next week in March. I wanted to keep it a surprise from her though but it was always hard to do. Calling was already hard since the time difference was 14 hours. Either one of us would be sleeping, or one of us would be working.

"Thanks, I'll do my best" I said before hanging up the phone and making my way back onto the ice. Phichit was grinning from ear to ear when he saw me back on the ice. He was a great training partner. Great skill for his age and we had finally started competing against each other now that Phichit was old enough to compete in the same age category as me.

"Did you tell your mom about your return?" He asked me.

I shook my head, "No, i'm going to keep it a surprise from her." I was going to continue speaking to him about what I had planned and what he thought a good souvenir for the family would be but Celestino's clap resounded in the rink claiming our attention for the rest of the day.

* * *

The flight back was a long one, 14 hours of screaming children on the plane and cramped seating. I slept on the flight to Detroit but those children… I suddenly felt as though i knew what was going through the heads of people when they kissed the ground after landing off a plane.

The drive to the inn was one of the most enjoyable experience in a while. I had feelings of nostalgia while driving towards the inn.

"Visiting someone?" The driver called out to me from the front seat.

"Returning home, actually" I told him back, continuing to stare out the window as we drove past Ice Castle.

"Where you coming back from?"

"Detroit"

The driver paused and looked at me from the rear-view mirror before continuing. "What brought you to Detroit? Not much good comes from their, so i've heard."

"I spent my time training while there."

"Was it ice skating?" The driver asked.

"Yes."

"I KNEW IT!" The driver slammed on the breaks nearly sending me crashing into the seat in front of me if not for my seatbelt. He turned around in his seat to look at me. "Your Yuri Katsuki! I knew i recognized your face! I can't believe I have Japans top figure skating sitting in my car! You need to take a picture with me later! You're a living legend!" The man sprouted words of praise to me.

"I'm really not all that-"

"Nonsense! You're the first top figure skater that Japan has seen in years! How was the training like? What new skills have you learned? When is the next competition?"

* * *

The driver kept playing 20 questions with me for the remainder of the drive back to the inn. I couldn't have been happier to step out of the car, already mentally drained before even stepping into the inn. Sure, he was a nice enough fellow but one can only handle so much conversation after being jet lagged and stuck in a small aircraft for so many hours.

I opened the door to my family inn. "I'm home" I called out to the members inside. Home. Something i craved. Something I hadn't been back to in years. Something that felt familiar and safe. Safe until a bounding ball of brown fur came pouncing towards me tackling me to the ground.

"Woah there! Vicchan! It's been a while." I called out to my loyal puppy, err dog now, while petting him. I pushed him off of me. "Let's go say hi to everyone." Vicchan kept barking at me the entire way into the greeting area of the in.

"Vicchan!" I heard a familiar voice scolding him from behind the counter. Her back was turned away from me. "Stop making all that noise! You're being rude to the guests staying here! I'll be with you in just a second, but i do believe that all of our rooms are in fact booked for tonight." My mother called out towards me.

"What about if I already have a permanent room here?" I called out. My mother stopped suddenly and froze from whatever task she was doing. She turned around slowly and dropped the object in her hand before bounding out behind the desk and over to me, throwing her arms around me, tears falling from her eyes.

"Mom?" I heard my sister call out from the hallway. "What's all the commotion?" My sister paused once she saw me. She leaned against the wall and smiled, "Welcome back, Yuri" she said to me. I grinned back at her.

"I'm back."

"HEY EVERYONE!" My sister suddenly belted out, scarring me by her sudden outburst. "YURI IS HERE!"

"What are you doing?!" I shouted back at her. Suddenly, there were footsteps that could be heard coming from every direction of the inn. Voices filled the hallways.

"Is it really?"

"I need a picture"

"Japans top figure skater!"

Suddenly, the room was filled with people congratulating me, taking photos, asking to shake my hand and wishing me luck with my future competitions. I was so overwhelmed, I didn't know what to do. Sure I had won a few competitions while in Detroit but i had no idea that my name was actually making it across the world. It was a shock to receive this kind of treatment when nobody at all knew of me while skating in Detroit. I was just Yuri while there. A boy still learning how to skate.

My hands were being grabbed and shook in every direction. I had never seen this many people filled in our inn before.

"Yuri?" a distinct voice called out making me freeze. It was a voice I would know anywhere. A voice that I never wanted to hear again. The talking around me died down. I don't know if that was because they sensed me seize up or if it was just due to the voice that called out to me.

I turned my head to see a familiar face standing in the hallway where my sister had come out of. My sister was standing beside the man, head turned away from him.

"What is he doing here?" I whispered out loud.

"Yuri, my boy! It's been a while."

His face, his voice. Everything. Why was he standing in our hallway? Why was he here in our inn?

"I've heard that your skating is coming along nicely. How have you been?"

"What is he doing here?" I said again, louder this time. A few quiet murmurs could be heard amongst me but long forgotten to my ears. My entire vision was tunnelled to this man.

"I didn't hear anything about you coming back to Japan, your mother never told me anything about-"

"What are you doing here?!" I shouted this time at him.

"Yuri!" My mother came forward. "Hush, this isn't the place for this." She grabbed at my arm throwing me a pleading look. "Everyone is looking." And it was true. Everyone had their eyes on me, but I didn't care.

"Get out." I told the man who i once had the nerve to call Father. He simply stared back at me with a stupid smirk on his face while my mother pulled on my arm again. "You're not welcome here."

"Actually, I am. I own this place, Yuri. Or did you forget that?"

Wait, what?

"Yuri!" my mother called out to me again. "Please, lets discus this inside."

"No, no" the man said back. "Let us discus this now, since we have everyone here so that we won't have to repeat this story again later." I was seething in anger. Hatred that I haven't felt in years.

"Your mother was always dead set against the idea of opening up an inn. She never trusted me, always thought it was a bad idea, but I went ahead and bought the land anyways and turned this inn into what it is today. She never signed the papers to purchase the inn. This inn is solely under my name, and my name only."

I stared at him, quietly. I looked towards my sister for confirmation but she still had her eyes averted.

"Really, it should be me telling you to get out, if anything."

I shot my glare back towards him. I was seeing red.

"You abandoned this place. The only reason why it is still standing is because my mother decided to keep this place up and running, while you ran away from all your duties."

"And i've come to take it over again. I'm reunited with my Soul Mate, Yuri. You should be happy to see us together again."

My fists clenched, nails digging into my skin.

"YOUR A MONSTER! HOW CAN YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO DRAG YOURSELF BACK HERE?!" I shouted. I started taking steps forward but arms wrapped around my waist were holding me back. My mother was calling out my name.

"Calm down, Yuri!"

Another face came into my vision standing in front of me. Yuko was staring up at me, pleading eyes stared into mine.

"Let's talk about this elsewhere." she whispered to me.

My father just stood there laughing. "It's nice to see you again too, Yuri." He turned away from us and walked back to the hallway where he came out of.

There were quiet murmurs around us as the crowd slowly departed as well.

"Soul Mate?"

"I feel awful for Hiroko"

"Can he actually take back the inn?"

"Sometimes your Soul Mate is the worst person you could ever meet."

It was true, Soul Mates really are awful things.


	6. Chapter 6

Un-Beta-ed

Warning: OOC ish and possible trigger warnings.

I don't know where this chapter came from. My original idea for this story is something that has not taken place yet. These chapters that I have been writing along the way to get tho that part are literally appearing out of nowhere.

Soul Mates

Chapter 6

My return back to Japan was supposed to be one filled with joy and a feeling of home after the years that I had been away. Not a welcome back to a life we one lived. My mother pulled me aside after the big commotion in the front desk area in the inn died down and the guests all left after sharing their concern with us.

"Why would you let him back in here?" I asked my mother after she placed a cup of hot tea in front of me.

My mother took a deep breath before starting with tale. "Your father came back about 15 months ago." She started.

"Wait, what?" I stopped her before she could continue. "15 months? He's been living here with you for over a year? Why has this never come up in conversation before?" I almost shouted at her. Anger was rising up in me. I was never one to shout at my mother, but i couldn't control my emotions this time. "What brought him back here?"

"Your father just showed up one day and said that if I didn't let him back in, he would sell the inn and that we would be kicked out. At first I was nervous about what he said, but your sister took care of everything and got your father to leave once again. He left us alone for a week before we started getting mail from him. He would send us long letters saying things like how the inn was his and his alone. Then one day, he came in with a set of officers declaring that his house was being occupied by habitants that were denying him entrance to his own home."

The amount of disgust I felt for this man was rising with every word my mother added. 15 long months. My family was living like this for 15 months.

"He brought papers with him. Ones that showed that he was the sole owner of the inn. And it's true. When we first moved to Hasetsu, we had little money to spend on things. Your father had told me of wanting to own an inn and that it would be the highlight of Hasetsu with the hot springs. I never trusted the idea since we had no money to spend for a backup. Still, he saved up and started up the inn on his own. I never had my name written on the deed papers."

"But, why now? He wasn't involved in our lives for over 10 years."

"It's because of you, Yuri" my sister said as she entered the room with a cup of tea for herself, joining us at the table.

"Huh?"

"Your success is what drove him back. The inn was only making money again after your name was attached to the inn. You started winning medals, and everyone wanted a chance to possibly meet 'Yuri Katsuki, Japans top figure skater'. I guess word got around to that man and he ended up welcoming himself back in here. The police just laughed at us thinking we were pulling a prank when he realized that mother and father are Soul Mates."

I let me sisters words sink in. I couldn't say anything. Everyone always turned a blind eye to abusive Soul Mate relationships. Their was always a reason why people were Soul Mates. It was nobody else business what happened amongst those pairs. My skating was originally one of the problems in my parents relationship. Lessons were expensive but my mother insisted in putting me in them. We were spending money that we hardly ever had.

"I really do hate to break up this touching reunion" a horrible voice called out from the doorway breaking me out of my thoughts. "But i do believe that it's time for bed. You've kept the inn up in a buzz for the past hour now, Yuri. It's time for you to head to your room." I stayed put where I was but my mother got up. My eyes followed her as she walked towards that man. She looked up at him and he turned towards her and brought a hand to her lower back, guiding her out of the room.

"Where are you going?" I called out. How dare he touch her. I stood up from my spot, but my sister caught my wrist as i got up. She shook her head towards me. I looked back towards my mother as she walked away with her back to me, all the while, that person looked back towards me smirking. His hand traveled lower down my mothers back and past her hip. I looked back towards my sister, she was looking away in shame. That was when reality set in.

This had been going on for the past 15 months. All of the months. I shook my sisters hand away from me and ran out of the room towards them.

"Is this some kind of joke?" I shouted at him, the man who i refused to call father. "You disappear for how many years and now show up, and think you can just have whatever you want?"

"If i recall correctly. Your mother was upset before because I was giving attention to other women. I'm just simply making up for all the lost time throughout the years."

I saw red.

"You sick bastard!" my fist was clenched. I took step forward to reach for my fathers shirt but he caught my hand in his arm.

"Yuri!" my mother shouted at me as she reached up to put a hand on both of our arms trying to dissolve the argument. My father shook off my mother before shoving her back into the wall.

"Don't touch her!" I raised my other hand in a fist but my father caught that one too. He spun me around and twisted my arm behind my back before shoving me hard into the wall.

"Listen, Yuri. And listen good." My father snarled into my ear. "Realistically, I don't need you skating anymore. That amount of money you have drawn in and the amount of fame attached to your name is more than enough for me to live off of for the rest of my life." He shoved his foot into the back of my calf causing me to release a cry of pain. "Your precious skating legs could easily end up in an accident, leaving you out for the season and ending your career as a skater but your name would still live on as one of Japans legends." He pressed down harder. I tried shaking him off my back to no avail.

"I don't want you to quit skating, Yuri. No. I want you to keep skating. Keep struggling, knowing that your little hobby is what ruined this family. If you quit now, I'll throw you, your mother, and your sister all out of this inn. Do you understand, Yuri?" He removed his foot from my calf for a second only to kick it harder this time. My legs gave out but that man was still holding me by my arms behind my back, keeping me standing.

"Leave him alone!" my mother cried out. "He didn't do anything wrong!"

"I'll take everyone with me. Who cares if you kick us out? I grunted out through clenched teeth."

"You won't. Know why? Because I will just go back to the police with those wonderful little papers. You and your mother and sister have been living her without paying any rent to me for all of those years. This is my property. One small word, and every single yen you could ever dream of making will be mine with the amount if interest you would owe me."

He released my arms and I dropped down to the floor and grasped onto my leg. I saw that man out of the corner of my eye. He wasn't done. He raised his foot back once more and landed another solid kick on the same leg, this time on my knee, crushing it to the floor. I'm sure I must have woken up the inn with the shout that left at that.

I watched as that man went back towards my mother, he lifted her from her spot on the ground by her arm and dragged her away. I watched as she left, tears escaping from the corner of her eyes.

My sister was speaking to me, her words long ignored. Now that I had finally gotten the chance to pursue my passion, it was causing heartache for my mother again. The one time when I thought i was doing something good, was in fact causing more harm than good.

"Are you listening?" My sister called out to me. Her hands ghosting around my knee, unsure of what to do. I pushed up onto my elbow and glared at my mothers closed room.

"I swear," I spoke to my sister through gritted teeth, "that I am going to fix this. Soul Mates or not, I promise I am going to get rid of that man."


	7. Chapter 7

Un-Beta-ed

Not a lot of progress sorry.

Hope your Christmas was drama free.

Thanks for the 90+ favourites and 150+ follows (dies)

Also, recommend checking out this article on Yuri on Ice, part of the reason why I wanted to write this fic revolves around the type of person Yuri is, and this article really shows some of the detailing behind the character of Yuri. Fanfiction doesn't let me post links so type in bit . ly / 2hG9A8V but without the spaces or search " **How anxiety and mental health shape the story of 'Yuri on Ice** '" on google. It is a great read and shows you a different perspective on the characters.

Soul Mates

Chapter 7

My stay in Japan was not an enjoyable one. I was in constant reminder of what my family had become and was absolutely helpless around the situation. I wasn't able to practice at the Ice Castle since my leg was now injured so that left me with a lot of nothing to do. I sat around eating my favourite dish that my mother would make; Katsudon. Somehow, the dish seemed to not taste the same as I had remembered during my childhood. It seemed to have lost it's affect on me. After four days of sitting around and being taunted by that man invading our lives again, i had enough. Leg be damned.

I made my way to Ice Castle and ran into Yuko and Takeshi renting out skates to both new and old skaters. I entered wearing a surgical mask in order to hide my face slightly. Word had been getting around quickly about what had happened in the inn. I was hoping that word wouldn't get out everywhere though but I had decided to hide myself in the meantime. No sense in drawing in more attention to me than need be.

Of course, my mask didn't do anything once Yuko and Takeshi saw me. Yuko tackled me down after jumping over the counter. I winced slightly as my knee hit the ground but gritted my teeth not to let out a noise, hoping that Yuko didn't realize what had happened.

"Yuri!" She screamed out before quickly covering her mouth. The area lobby was silent for a few seconds. Deathly silent. Yuko slowly reached forward and put her hand around my wrist before mouthing the word 'run'.

Next thing I knew, I was being dragged by her into the staff room while people in the lobby were screaming my name, asking for a handshake and a photo and other things. Yuko slammed the door closed and I could hear Takeshi trying to calm down everyone outside.

"I don't understand how people are recognizing me." I said to Yuko taking a seat on one of the chairs in the staff room.

"Are you kidding?" She said laughing before taking the seat across from me. "You are Japans top rising star in figure skating!" I shrunk down into my seat.

"Am not. I'm just some nobody trying for… I don't even know what I'm aiming for anymore to be honest." I said while placing a hand behind my head.

"To compete against Viktor obviously." She said with a laugh before her mood turned slightly more serious. She reached a hand towards the one I had resting on the table. "Are you okay?"

I removed my hand from the back of my head and brought it down next to the one Yuko had takes hold of.

"I'm fine-"

"Yuri." She said again with a no-nonsense tone about her that she rarely used. I took a deep breath before answering.

"I'm annoyed, for lack of a better word."

"I know it must be hard Yuri, but you need to-"

"Need to what? Put up with that monster staying in that house while my family has to suffer for it?!" I shouted out. I paused after realizing that I was gripping Yuko's hand hard within mine. "I'm sorry." I said as I released it. "I didn't mean to shout out at you."

"Well keep shouting at me then, clearly something else is bothering you."

I gave her a puzzled look.

"It's not everyday that you actually get upset about something. You are a very passive person, Yuri. It's not as though i'm oblivious to what's happening at your home. I've been witnessing this happen while you weren't here. Who else do you think your family would turn to when they couldn't even tell you-" She suddenly brought hand away from mine and back to rest on her mouth.

We sat their staring at each other. She was right.

"My family didn't trust me enough to tell me of the situation. Something that had been going on for 15 months. They didn't think I could handle the situation. That I wasn't mature enough to. Clearly they were right with the way I acted out that night, but what else could I have done?" I brought my head down to the table.

"Why don't you skate a bit?" Yuko said. I noticed her dodging the conversation.

"I can't right now."

"Why not?" I raised my head back up. She studied my face for a few seconds before standing up in a hurry, knocking back the chair she was sitting on. Yuko grabbed my arm trying to lift me up from my chair but I refused to get up.

"Takeshi!" She shouted. The door opened a few seconds later. Takeshi took one look at the situation before narrowing his eyes towards me, quickly understanding the situation.

"Yuri, either you get up from your spot right now, or so help me, I will drag you out from it."

I took a deep breath before standing up slowly. My knee was throbbing slightly after being knocked around on the ground by Yuko. Takeshi walked towards the couch motioning for me to take a seat on it. I could feel the two of them judging my every step, eying every part of my body in deep analysis and trying to find the injury. Once I sat down on the couch, Yuko went straight for me knee. She told me to place it on the couch. I took off my shoe before lifting my leg and placing it down.

Yuko rolled up my pants leg, hesitating for just a second, but long enough for me to notice her pause one she had seen some bruising near my knee cap. After rolling up my pant leg to see the entirety of the bruising she stopped.

"It really just looks worse than it is." I said trying to lighten up the atmosphere. I turned my face to look towards Yuko to notice small tears building up in the corners of her eyes.

Takeshi made a move towards the fridge to get an ice pack.

* * *

We had a long conversation about what had gone on in the household while I was gone. It took a while for me to coax it out of the two of them but I needed to know exactly what went on.

"What do you plan on doing if we tell you?"

I sat their thinking. The truth was, I didn't know what I was planning on doing.

"Knowledge is power?" I said with a shrug. They weren't entirely convinced. They told me small details, pretty much everything that my mother and sister had told me but I could feel them hiding something from me.

"When are you heading back to Detroit?" Yuko said, once again avoiding the topic.

"I'm not sure."

"What do you mean, your not sure?"

"I don't think I should be going back, given the situation of the family right now."

"So what? You're just going to continue to sit around, being injured, and doing nothing?" Takeshi said. It felt like a slap in the face. Sure I was injured but what else did they expect me to do? I gritted me teeth unknowing what to say.

"Yuri, I know what you must be feeling right now but-"

"But what?" I said. "Hang in there? Turn a blind eye? Go back to lovely Detroit where I can run away from all of this?" I shouted at Takeshi. I swung my leg off of the couch standing up quickly to face him. I winced a little from suddenly putting pressure on my leg. "Do you really think I can just go back now after everything that i've seen? You haven't been living my life, Takeshi."

"And you haven't been living theres!" Takeshi said. He stood his ground against me. He was taller than me but I wouldn't let him intimidate me. "By being in the spotlight, and winning medals, and becoming Japans top figure skater, you might be able to change the situation. Draw attention, maybe someone will come forward and help solve the problems going on here."

I bent my head forward, hiding my face behind my bangs.

"Go become the best skater out there." Takeshi said. He made a fist with his hand and brought it to my shoulder, gently bumping me with it before walking back out the locker room.

* * *

I headed back on the first flight back to Detroit the next day without saying goodbye to anyone. I didn't my choice of not saying goodbye. I felt determined to become the best now, to give Viktor a run for his money, to become the next Viktor- no. The first Yuri Katsuki out their. I felt the same dull thumping coming from my ankle the entire plane ride back.


	8. Chapter 8

Un-Beta-Ed

It seems like i skipped a part of the timeline but that would have all been boring filler... blegh.

Soul Mates

Chapter 8

"Again" Celestino called out to me from the sidelines of the rink. I stopped mid routine for what seemed like the hundredth time. "You don't have enough speed in your footwork for that section.

"Why don't we just work on the jumps instead? I don't have a very good track record with them after upgrading the difficulty." I said panting. I brought my arm up to my forehead and wiped away at the seat forming on my face. The grand prix was just a few short weeks away. I was finally eligible to compete. My moment of competition against Viktor was approaching. And once I placed on the podium, I would figure out a way to get everyone's attention on the issue with Soul Mates. People would finally give me the attention I needed in order to help my mom and sister out.

"Well we could, but you have some of the fastest, sharpest, and cleanest footwork i've seen in a while, Yuri. You should spend more time getting those extra points where you can. Chances are, you are going to flub up in one of your leaps." I raised from my spot and stared at Celestino with a blank face.

"Not cool, coach." Phichit said said as he skated to a stop near me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm just being realistic, that's my job as your coach. Set you up for success in the right areas and be their when things don't go as you wanted to." He said with a shrug. "I'm not saying this to be harsh. Your track record isn't the best with your jumps already, never mind the fact that we have increased the amount you are doing and the difficulty of each jump combination. You have yet to land a routine successfully since you run out of stamina by the end of it!"

"Maybe you should take out a jump or two, Yuri…" Phichit trailed off unable to provide a word of support. So maybe my track record wasn't the best. I needed those jumps though if I were to stand a chance of medaling against Viktor.

"I'll land them during the competition." I have to.

"I don't understand why you are so interested in the Grand Prix this year. You've qualified but only by the hair on your head. I think you should have waited until next year, to be solid with your routine and then place. It's pretty risky right now." Celestino said to me.

He was always supportive of my decision to compete. He knew my end goal was the Grand Prix but I was never able to tell him why. Celestino was already shocked with how quickly I had returned to Japan but was happy with my new determination to practice. I took it seriously before but after being woken up to reality, I had decided to take my training one step further. It has been just over three years since i've gone back to Japan. Conversation between me and my family happened only on the special occasions. Holidays, New Years, that sort of thing. The conversation was always little less than five minutes in length.

Now that I was finally able to qualify for the Grand Prix, I had to push harder than normal.

Celestino tisked before speaking again. "Start the step sequence from when you land your last jump. Sharp and quick now."

I skated over to where I would normally land, took a few strides backwards and then sped up to my landing spot in order to get the amount of speed I would have gotten after completing the jump. The sequence was very intricate. It traveled from one end of the ice rink towards the other end curving in between like an "S" shape. It was full of fast movements going clockwise and then counterclockwise and quick spins in between. Celestino had jam packed the step sequence not leaving any room for an extra step in between otherwise I would run a risk of actually not having enough room and hit the rink guard.

That was one issue I had while skating. I tended to focus so much on what I was doing, that I would lose site of where I would be on the rink. My body knew when it would be time to move to another element, but that didn't always mean I actually had room to do so. Luckily, I had only ever crashed into the rink guard during practices followed by a long lecture of why I wasn't specially aware of my surroundings.

"Sharp! Faster twist there. Be more dramatic with the arms, Yuri! They are too flimsy." Celestino shouted from his spot critiquing every move.

I was getting ready for my final curve and last few steps when I turned a little too quickly for the rest of my body to keep up. I lost my balance on the ice and came crashing down.

I could hear Celestino sigh from his spot. "Take a 10 minute break. Grab a drink of water and we will continue again." He said before walking away. "And put ice on that knee of yours."

"Yes, sir." I called out.

Phichit came over to me and held out a hand. I took it graciously not trusting me knee after that fall.

"Is it still causing you problems?"

"Oh you know how old injuries are." I laughed it off and patted my right knee. "Good one moment, and then they come to haunt you the next."

"I know i've asked you before, but you never quite told me what happened to your knee."

"He hurt it while skating back home." Celestino called out. "You were supposed to be relaxing while in Japan but that clearly didn't happen." He said giving me a sympathetic look. Celestino noticed my injury as soon as I had gotten on the ice. He asked me about it and I told him I had hurt it while in Japan but that I should be better in a few days. He told to to stay off it until my knee was feeling better but I kept skating anyways with a promise to get it looked at after practice.

Of course, I never ended up going.

* * *

I was always bad at lying. Saying I got the injury while in Japan was bad enough since people would assume it was from skating but I would never agree or deny the answer when asked. I would never be able to lie when the doctor would ask me specifics like "What happened when you landed on the ice?" in order to really figure out what went wrong. I always thought that telling the doctor might have helped but I had been warned before by fellow figure skaters that doctors are some of the worst people you could tell your secrets too. One minute you're hiding a secret, and the next minute, the whole world is looking at you with shame or scorn.

I asked my doctor during the visit what she thought about Soul Mates.

"Oh? You've never been interested about that topic before, did you finally meet your Soul Mate?" She said excitedly.

"No, I don't think I want to meet them. Ever"

"And why is that?"

"What happens if they end up being the worst thing for you?"

My doctor paused for a minute before continuing. "Nobody speaks about that. If anyone were to find out that you were in an abusive relationship with your Soul Mate- which never happens since they aren't reported- the entire community would look down upon you. You would hear whispers, taunting words and would always receive the blame if you were the one to sell out your Soul Mate."

I stared at her quietly before nodding my head. "Makes sense." I said mumbling under my breath. It's always the cry for help that is ignored by people. Only the opportunity for personal gain is when people will extend their greedy hands.

"What was that?" She asked.

"Nothing at all."

* * *

My knee was making progress but it seemed like my father knew what he was doing when he sent his foot against me. The injury would need weeks to fully heal but there was no way I would take an entire season off from skating. The injury never got time to heal so it would always act up every now and again.

After a two more hours of practice, it was finally time to call it a day.

"The sequence looks amazing Yuri!" Phichit said to me in the locker room. I grinned up at him.

"Now if only i could land those jumps at the end of the program." I grabbed my bag and quickly went to the door.

"Aren't you going to come for dinner?" Phichit called back from his spot in the locker room.

"Not today, I'm going back to the room first." Phichit and I became good friends during our time in Detroit and ended up moving into the same dorm room together while skating.

I opened and shut the door to the locker room before he could ask any more questions. I popped in my headphones and listened to my program music on repeat, visualizing the moves executed perfectly in my head while taking the short walk back to the dorm room.

Once I got there, I opened the door and kicked off my shoes before crashing down onto my bed. My knee was throbbing slightly after the long day. The nitty gritty detailed routine days were normally the worst for my knee since they always involved tight turns and strenuous movements on my knee. Jumps were never the issue anymore since it was always just the landing i would have problems with but the lead up into the jumps were totally fine. I turned onto my side and massaged my right knee while closing my eyes and visualizing my routine again.

I could see myself in my starting position. The music would start and I would capture the audiences attention. I would glide around the rink with everyone's eyes transfixed on me, even Viktor would stop his interview just to make his way towards the rink to see what was about to happen. I was getting ready for my first jump, a combination of three jumps put together, triple axel jump followed by a single loop and triple Salchow jump. I had landed them all perfectly. I continued with my step sequence that Celestino had made me repeat over and over again and performed to his expectations. I was grinning slightly to myself and enjoying the audience as I continued to perform.

I was approaching the second half of my program when I felt the stabbing pain in my knee. It wasn't like the dull throbbing but the actual pain coming from around it causing for me to lose my focus just before i took off for another jump combination. I slipped and placed my hand down on the ice to stop my fall but I stopped my jump sequence. I could hear the crowd mummer in shock.

Focus, Yuri. Focus.

I continued my program for the second step sequence but was only able to perform about half of the content as my knee continued to ache. I could see Celestinos face from the rink guard. He was looking at me with disappointment in his eyes, a look i never wanted to see from him. He turned away from me and walked out of the rink. I glanced over to where I had seen Viktor originally only to notice that his back was turned against me as well as he made his was back towards the cameras, beckoning him over to celebrate what would surly be a landslide victory n now.

I got ready for my last jump combination but as I was leaning on my blade to get ready for the jump, the ice cracked, causing me to lose balance completely.

I was falling.

I was falling.

I was falling down into an endless darkness.

I could hear my mother ridiculing me for my foolish attempt at trying to go pro.

My sister was making remarks about how she was doing all the work at the inn since her wannabe figure skating brother up and ran away from the chores.

I could see my fathers face looking down at me from my fallen spot on the ground, smirking at me.

"Looks like I win."

I shot out of my bed panting and gasping for air. I pulled my headphones out of my ears and threw them down to the ground, dragging my phone with it crashing to the ground. I looked around my room and saw Phichit already asleep in his bed. I glanced towards the clock and saw that it was a little past three in the morning. I groaned before bringing my legs up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them before brining my head down to my knees.

The last thing I needed was to psych myself out before the start of the Grand Prix. I wanted to win. I needed to win. I had to win. Not just for myself, but for everyone else too.


	9. Chapter 9

Un-Beta-ed

I'm sorry T.T

Soul Mates

Chapter 9

I had many sleepless nights filled with nightmares plaguing my sleep. Disaster routines. They would always start out strong, and the halfway through, I would suddenly miss a step and lose focus and the rest of the routine would come falling apart at the seams. Celestino noticed after a few days for my lack of sleep.

"You've become sloppy, Yuri" he told me one day after finishing my third full out routine. "Are you not getting enough sleep? The Grand Prix is next week but that doesn't mean you should be loosing sleep over it." He handed me my water bottle.

"Thanks" I said gratefully grabbing it. I drank a generous amount of water before responding. "Just staying up thinking." I told Celestino, which wasn't a lie. I was up late thinking. Thinking about the potential disaster I'd entered into by qualifying for the Grand Prix.

"We will cut practice short today." He said. "One more routine, then it's bed rest for you. The last thing we need is you passing out due to exhaustion a week before the finals." Celestino laughed as he took my water bottle away from me.

I skated back out to the centre of the ice and water for my music to start. I took a deep breath and imagined myself in the centre of the Grand Prix rink. The Grand Prix would be taking place in Sochi this year. The media was constantly floating around Viktor since it was his home country hosting the tournament and he was even easier to access than normal because of it.

"Are you nervous?" One reporter asked Viktor one night on the late night news.

"There is never a need to be nervous for these kinds of things." Viktor said confidently.

"Well, it is rumoured for you to take the gold medal again this year and get your fifth Grand Prix title!" the news reporter said. I scoffed slightly at her assumption but then thought again against myself. It wasn't like I was going to snag the title away from Viktor.

Stop thinking like that, Yuri. All you need to do is win a medal, it doesn't matter which one. Any will do. Then the press will finally acknowledge you as a figure skater, then you will finally be able to do some good for your family.

"I would never guarantee anything." Viktor spoke again. "I just get the thrill out of performing for others. That's why I keep skating. Not to win medals, but to show others what skating is for me." He said winking into the camera. He was good at getting the fans involved in his interviews, a wink here, a smile there. Everyone loved it. He wasn't only Russia's figure skater, he was the worlds figure skater. Everyone loved him.

"Yuri!" Celestino's voice called out. The music had already started, I was a step behind but I caught up in a nervous step missing the first 4 seconds of my routine entrance. I could see Celestino shake his head at me. Disappointment evident on his face. Just like the dream.

Focus, Yuri.

I got back into my character and continued my routine. I had landed the first of my jump combinations and went into my spin combination. I could hear Celestino giving me feedback but it was all background noise. I had to focus entirely on what I was doing. I finished my spin combination and exited by gliding back down to the opposite end of the rink.

Focus, Yuri.

I could hear Phichit cheering me on from the sideline. I managed to find my focus again on my routine once again. My second jump combination turned out okay. I landed everything but turned my last jump into a double axel instead of a triple.

I could imagine Viktor doing my routine with his eyes closed. It would seem easy compared to his signature quad flip that he always incorporated into his routine. I entered my step sequence across the ice. This might be the only thing that I really have an edge on over Viktor. I finished my sequence and glided back down to the other end of the ice. I saw Celestino on the phone. How awful. Was my routine really that bad, that he felt he shouldn't watch anymore? My eyes went over to Phichit who was still watching me with interest shown in his eyes. The least I could do was finish performing my routine for him. So long as I have the interest of one person, I can still finish my routine.

Unfortunately, I found myself getting sloppy after realizing that my coach had lost complete interest in my routine. I flubbed up on the rest of my jumps in the second half of my routine. I glided back to the middle of the rink and finish my routine, dissapointed in my final performance of the night.

Phichit clapped for me. I looked toward him with a small smile on my face. Celestino was still talking on the phone as I glided towards him. He finally made eye contact with me before he handed me the phone.

"Take this call in my office." he said.

I swallowed nervously before taking the phone. Celestino gave me my blade guards and I walked off the ice towards his office. I glanced behind me to see a nervous looking Phichit before he walked over to Celestino. Celestino did nothing but shake his head at whatever Phichit was asking him.

I walked into his office before closing the door.

"Hello?" I asked apprehensively into the phone.

"Yuri," a familiar voice called from the other line. I relaxed slightly hearing my mothers voice on the other end.

"Oh, hi mother. Sorry I haven't called in a while." I paused before continuing. "What brings the call?" There must have been a reason for the call. Mother would never call me without a reason after I left from Japan. Actually, she never initiated phone calls anymore. I would have to be the one to call the family in order to hear her voice again.

"Yuri, I don't know how to tell you this."

My heart instantly clenched. I felt myself hold my breath. Something was definitely wrong. After a few seconds of no response for my mother, I assumed she was waiting for me to respond before she would tell me what happened.

"What's wrong."

"It's Vicchan."

I gripped the phone in my hand and felt a nervous chill make its way across my body.

"I'm sorry, Yuri. I couldn't bring myself to call you earlier. We put Vicchan down today."

"What…?" They put Viktor down? What do you mean?

"I'm sorry, Yuri." my mother kept repeating that phrase over and over again through the phone.

"No…" I said.

"One of the regulars noticed he was quieter than usual during the week. I thought he might have just eaton something funny but after the fourth day, Vicchan wouldn't get out of his bed. Your sister and I went to the emergency hospital."

What is she saying?

"When we brought him in, the doctor did some tests on him. He asked me how long he had been like this. I told him it was about a week according to what the regular said."

What happened to Viktor? He had to go to the hospital? I couldn't progress what my mother was saying to me.

"He asked me how old Vicchan was and I told him he would be turning 8 this year, and he stayed silent for a while before he told me that Vicchan had his liver failing him."

I felt myself stop breathing.

"He said that their would be no way to help the liver failure or slow it down, so it was only a matter of time before he would move on. I spoke to your sister before making any decisions and if we should have called you before making the choice but with the Grand Prix coming up within the next week, we decided to not tell you. The guilt was eating away at me though. We put him down this morning. He was surrounded by your sister, Yuko, Minako, Takeshi, and I. I'm so sorry I didn't notice this earlier."

Liver failure? How could Viktor suffer from a Liver failure?

"It was the best thing for him. He would have been suffering otherwise for the remainder of his life." my mother said before I hear sniffling coming from her end of the phone. "I'm so sorry, Yuri."

I hung up the phone before she could say anything else. I made my way back from the office towards the ice. I saw Celestino and Phichit still on the rink. I made my way over to the ice, took off my blade guards and then stepped onto the ice.

"Yuri? What do you think you're doing?" Celestino called out to me.

"Practicing" I said automatically. "There are only a handful of days left."

I made my way to the middle of the ice before starting my routine like I normally would have. No music was playing but I had listened to the track enough times to already have the song memorized for my program. I was gliding around the rink when I felt an arm grab onto me, stopping me in my routine.

"Yuri! Stop this nonsense. We said your last round would be your last one for the day." Celestino had walked out onto the ice waiting for me.

"Let go" I told him robotically. I tried to shake of his hand but he gripped my arm tighter.

"No, Yuri. It's time to go home."

"Let go." I said a little louder.

"Yur-"

"I said to let go!" I shouted at him this time. "Let me practice! This is the whole reason why I came here, to practice and become a top figure skater, to challenge Viktor at his own game, to develop my own style with your help. What is the point of me not being home with my family and friends, wasting time away from them if i'm not constantly practicing?" I shouted at him unaware of the tears that were making my way down my face.

Celestino pulled me towards him before wrapping me in a tight hug. He placed one arm on my head and shoved my head into his shoulder, hiding my tears from whoever else was in the rink.

"I know you've sacrificed a lot to be here, Yuri. Trust me, I know. But that doesn't mean you can't take time to morn over losses." He said. That's when it really hit me. Celestino knew, he heard it first about Viktor's passing. That meant the conversation wasn't just in my head. My hands snuck around on his back and I clenched at his sweater before finally letting my tears out, releasing a much needed cry that held more than just the sadness from my good friend moving on.


	10. Chapter 10

Un-Beta-Ed

That moment when one reader writes a loooong detailed review on every chapter of your story. It's a good feeling~

I wish I could answer questions, but then the story would be ruined. Please stay with me on this ride of a story!

Soul Mates

Chapter 10

"Are you eating katsudon again?" Phichit said as a greeting once he entered our shared dorm room.

"mhmm" I mumbled as I still had food in my mouth. "I found a little shop nearby two streets over that calmed to be a Japanese restaurant. It's all knock off food but the katsudon is pretty good." I said after swallowing down my latest bite.

"The one that we went to last year?"

"Yeah, that one."

"You never use to go their. Got the nervous eats?" Phichit said laughing as he made his way over to his bed and sat down watching me continue to eat.

"Maybe. I don't think i'm really that nervous to be honest." I came back the next day to practice and focused greatly on the attention to little details in my routine. Celestino was amazed at my focus. He said it was the most improvement he had seen from me in a great while.

"These little things will make the difference, Yuri. Sure adding an extra jump might increase the overall difficulty, but if you mess up on a jump, that's it. If you add these little details throughout your routine, it will equal the technical score that the jump combination would have given you."

I felt confident in my routine now like never before.

"I think i'm just missing my mother cooking." I told Phichit.

"Must be pretty bad then, you use to say that you would never eat anything claiming to be Japanese here in America ever again after we went last time!" I grinned at him before I got up to place my empty container in the garbage.

I looked over at my suitcase near my bed. I had mostly packed up everything. Just a few more items to go.

"How are you feeling?" Phichit asked.

"As ready as i'll ever be."

"No, not with skating. How are you feeling, Yuri?"

I hesitated a bit before actually responding. I still hadn't really spoken about what happened after being confronted by Celestino. It wasn't something that I wanted to talk about.

"I'm fine. Really." I told Phichit with a sigh. I turned my back towards him as i finished grabbing some items from my closet before making my way over to my suitcase to pack them up. "Sure, it hurts inside, but I can't afford to let my emotions get the better of me. Not when I'm leaving for the Grand Prix tomorrow. I'll head home after the competition and go give Viktor a proper goodbye."

Phichit walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder. I paused midway and looked up at him. He was giving me one of his comforting smiles. One that wasn't pushing for information, but one that was silently saying he would be here for me, no matter what.

I smiled back from him as i zipped up my suitcase and sat back down on my bed. Phichit followed my and sat down on my bed too.

"I want to tell you something, Yuri." He said as he leaned against the headboard of the bed. I turned to face him leaning against the opposite end of my bed. I nodded towards him indicating i was paying attention. It was very rare that Phichit opened up to me, even after all the years we've known each other, so I was ready to give him my undivided attention.

Phichit looked at me before turning around and started taking his shirt off.

"P-Phichit?" I said stuttering. "What are you doing?"

"Don't freak out, Yuri. Look." He said as he lifted his shirt over his head.

Phichit was staring straight ahead at the wall as I took a look at his back.

"What's wrong?"

"Don't you see it?" He said as he turned his head to look at me over his shoulder.

"See what?"

"My mark!" He said as he turned back towards the wall.

I looked back but I hadn't seen anything.

"Where is it?" I said after a few seconds.

"You can't be serious, Yuri. It's across my back near my right shoulder."

I came a bit closer to inspect his shoulder but I couldn't see anything. I shook my head before saying "Sorry to disappoint you, Phichit, but i don't see it anywhere."

"What?!" Phichit turned to look over his other shoulder. "What are you saying? I can see the outline of it now. It's pretty big, Yuri. Are you sure you don't see it? I just discovered it today! I have a Soul Mate mark!" He shouted at me excitedly.

I shook my head again. Then it hit me. I quickly moved on the bed and rolled up my pant leg.

"What are you doing, Yuri?!" Phichit said to me, turning back around. "Don't tell me, you have my matching Soul Mate mark-"

"It's not here." I said.

"What's not here?"

"My Soul Mate mark…" Phichit came closer to take a look at my ankle. Then he glanced up at me.

"Yuri, are you okay?" I looked up at him curiously. What was the point of asking that question? My mark had just disappeared. I was more than happy to hear that. Although Phichit had no reason to know that.

"Am i supposed to be looking at a figure skate on your ankle?"

Wait a second.

I nodded my head towards him, eyes going wide as he said exactly what my Soul Mate mark was. It wasn't as though I had shown him my ankle specifically, I had rolled up my pant leg to my knee cap exposing the entirety of it. How did he know-

He put a hand out to over the area where it would have been.

"How do you-"

"I can see your mark, Yuri." Phichit told me slowly. I looked back at him before reaching for his hand and lifting it up and looking back towards my ankle.

"You can't see my mark. And you can't see yours either." Phichit said slowly as though speaking the words out loud would do hurt me in some way. I looked back down again towards my ankle, but sure enough, there was nothing.

"Maybe you're just tired. Why don't we call it a night? I'm sure your eyes are just playing tricks on you. You have been putting all your effort towards the Grand Prix." Phichit got off from my bed and walked towards the lights in the room.

"It's getting late, you have an early flight. Go to sleep, Yuri." He turned off the light but I hadn't moved. My mark had disappeared. But not entirely, just for my eyes. Everyone's soul mate mark had disappeared.

* * *

I waited until I could hear Phichit snoring softly before I decided to move out of my bed. I walked towards my desk and turned on my laptop, one of the last things I had yet to pack and was thankful that I hadn't decided to pack it away yet, and quickly dimmed the brightness on the laptop. I opened up my browser and typed in "Vanishing Soul Mate marks" into the search section.

I was instantly thrown thousands of results.

 _Soul Mates caught lying on changing mark._

 _How to cover your Soul Mate mark in three easy steps_

 _Soul Mate distraught after partner disappears. Search Party still looking for partner._

I scrolled along until a promising link appeared.

 _My Soul Mate mark suddenly disappeared_. I clicked the link and began reading away.

 _Soul Mates are very complicated things. The marks are even more complicated. These mysterious marks have appeared on humans since beyond anyone can trace, but the reasoning is always clear. You want to find your Soul Mate in life. That is the goal that everyone wants. But what happens if you can't see your Soul Mate mark?_

 _It is not uncommon for people to be born without Soul Mate marks. Sometimes they don't appear until later on in life, the oldest age present to date being to a 57 year old woman from Portugal. But for those who have received a mark, it will never go away._

 _There have been studies on those who have claimed that their mark had disappeared, vanished into thin air but recent studies show that the marks have simply been removed from their field of vision._

 _The comments are usually the same. "My mark disappeared." or "What happened to your mark?" Studies show that only those for an extremely traumatic past or experience with Soul Mates have somehow managed to block out the existence of Soul Mates completely._

 _People who have undergone stressful life situations, relating or unrelated to Soul Mates are often unable to see their marks. There have been multiple instances of those carrying marks lying to those who are unable to see them claiming to be their Soul Mate. A third party person can easily confirm the truth by looking at the two areas that the marks are and confirm the situation for that who cannot see the mark, however, the loss of the mark is normally too shocking that the Soul Mate will often just accept the case and other as their partner._

 _There have been multiple tests done to try and recover the vision behind those who are unable to see their marks, but all have proven to be unsuccessful._

There was more to the article but I stopped reading. I closed my laptop and walked back to my bed, having found the information I was looking for. I had lost my ability to find my Soul Mate. But it's not like i ever wanted to find mine in the first place. A dull throbbing appeared on my ankle. I rolled up my pant leg again to double check, but sure enough, the mark was not their for me to see.

A slight pain swelled up in my chest. A feeling known, yet unknown to me. It was hurt, but not in a way I could describe. I was finally rid of the one thing I always wanted to be rid of, so why was I in pain?


	11. Chapter 11

Un-Beta-ed

Sorry for the little time lag between releases. Hope everyone had a good holiday. Get ready for some feels.

I met somebody during one of my work shifts, we were speaking about fandoms and she mentioned Yuri on Ice and how it was similar to a series called Hannibal. She asked me if I had ever written fanfiction before. I had told her no. She said she was going to read some Yuri on Ice fics. If you ever manage to stumble across this fic, I lied hehe. I did write a fanfic.

Soul Mates

Chapter 11

Arriving at Sochi was a unique experience. Their were reporters waiting for the competition skaters right at the gate of the airport. Flashing lights were everywhere. I was curious as to who they were all trying to snap pictures of since Viktor was their own skater. Normally the reporters would want to interview the top ranking skater but why bother be at the airport then?

"Yuri! Please look this way!"

Huh?

Celestino grabbed my arm and pulled me towards a few reporters who were asking for me to look at them and shouting questions left and right at me.

"How are you feeling?"

"You are predicted to place at this competition, how do you feel about that?"

"What is your strategy to winning the Grand Prix?"

"Uhm…" Why were all these cameras pointed on me? I was entering this competition by the slim luck of the draw. What sort of strategy would there be? I think Celestino noticed my nervousness since he did quite a fair bit of talking to the cameras.

"We managed to catch a few words with your father earlier on in the day." One of the reporters said to me as I tried to walk away. I froze in my track. My father? How did they manage to speak with him? Did they have interviewers outside the inn too? "How does it feel knowing that he came here, to Sochi just to support you throughout your competition?"

My blood froze. He's here?

"Sorry, we really do have to move on. Look forward to Yuri upcoming performances." Celestino said grabbing my arm and my luggage bag before dragging my lame self out of the airport and towards the waiting cars.

"Just ignore them, Yuri." Celestino said to me. "Ignore anything the media says. You don't have to speak to the. You aren't use to the spotlight. Some of the local newscasters are vile people. They will try to taunt you before the competition starts to psych you out. Just don't let it get to you. No one will hate you for walking away from the cameras." He handed our luggage to the waiting driver.

Yeah, way to psych me out before the competition. Not as though I didn't have enough pressure over my head before hand.

"Yuri!"

A voice called out to me. I froze on my spot. Celestino was getting ready to open the door and called my name but I couldn't move. Someone stepped into my field of vision. Their was a body blocking my way from the madness of the airport and the quiet calm of the waiting car ride to the hotel.

"My boy! How long it's been. How has the training been?" I stared straight ahead into the persons chest, refusing to acknowledge his presence but the more i tried to ignore it, there more i felt him suffocating the air around me.

He's just doing this to taunt me. Ignore him. Ignore him.

I couldn't focus on any of the words he was saying on. It was only when he reached out to grab me that I finally found my will to move. I slapped his hand away before he could reach out.

"Don't touch me." I gritted out through clenched teeth, finally bringing my face up to meet his.

That man simply smirked at my reaction.

"You seem to have gained some weight, Yuri. I hope that your dogs death has nothing to do with that."

He's just taunting you. Ignore him. _Ignore him._

"You're poor mother tried to get the dog to the hospital but things were just so busy at the inn thanks to all of your success that it seems the dog was getting neglected. Nobody noticed him getting sick. Sad story don't you think?"

I was struggling to focus on the scenery around me. I was seeing pictures of Viktor in my head. Pictures of him barking, pictures of him playing, pictures of him sleeping beside me every night while I was back home.

Home.

Something that I hadn't been back to in years. Could I really say that I took care of Viktor? Did he live a happy life? He always greeted me with such excitement but was he just living in an abusive home like everyone else?

"I wonder if that dog was really ever happy."

My vision focused again. But only on his voice. He was the only thing solid in my field of vision.

"You could almost say that you neglected that poor creature."

He's right. I got the dog and took care of him for a few years and then just up and left him. What did I do? What did I-

A hand on my back snapped me out of my thoughts. I gasped slightly at the impact. Celestino was standing beside me, ushering me towards the car.

"You must be Celestino." That man called out again. Celestino didn't stop talking though. He simply spoke over his shoulder.

"Yes, and I would appreciate it if you wouldn't speak to my skater."

"I am his father, I believe I have a right to speak to my son"

"No distractions during competition. Family is included. I run a strict show here. What I say goes." Celestino said as he opened the door and ushered me into the car before he joined me and shut the door.

I sat as far away as possible from the door that he was standing just outside of. Squeezing myself right into the corner. Almost wishing that I could melt right into the door. He was never a part of my life but he still somehow managed to leave a trail of ice cold blood in me. It wasn't until a few minutes into our drive that I noticed Celestino was actually speaking to me.

"Huh?" I said. "Sorry, can you repeat what you said?" I looked towards him, and he had a knowing look on his face. One that had glimpses of sadness in them.

He shook his head before continuing. "Nothing. Just thinking about things allowed." He said before he looked towards the window. "You know" He spoke again after a few more minutes of silence. "I may be your coach but that doesn't mean you don't have to tell me about things in your life. I won't pry, Yuri. But I do hope that after all the years of us being together, you will come talk to me if you need to." He looked back towards me. I smiled at him, nodding me head before glancing back out the window.

* * *

We arrived in Sochi three days before the Grand Prix which was a good thing because I always had trouble with jet lag during competitions. It was only a six hour difference, but that difference was enough to throw off my performance a little. I spent the entire first day trying to sleep and adjust myself to the time difference. After a rough start at the training ground the following day, I went back to the hotel room, thankful that they gave separate rooms for coaches and competitors.

This was the first time that I was given my own room at a competition. Celestino said it was because this was the competition of all competitions. Guess that this was one of the perks of finally getting to compete.

"We will meet again tomorrow morning at 8am. Warm ups start at 10. The Grand Prix will start at 2pm. Rest well for tonight." Celestino said as he bid me goodnight.

I glanced towards my clock. It was a little after 9pm. Around 3 in the morning in Japan. I was feeling the fatigue still so I wasn't objecting the idea of a nice long sleep. I decided I was going to take a hot shower and go straight to bed.

I opened up the TV in the hotel room to add some background noise. I hated the quiet in the room. It was something I wasn't use to since Phichit and I use to stay awake talking right until we went to bed. Their was always the presence in the room. Now that I was alone, I would tend to think about things that I shouldn't before competition.

What if I fall?

What if I miss a jump?

What if-

I shut off my thoughts as I turned on the TV. Coverage of the Grand Prix was on every channel. If it wasn't an advertisement showing support for the skaters, it was news reporters speaking about the competitors or episodes of television series regarding winter events. I settled for one of the news stations.

They were speaking of Viktor. I turned the volume up slightly as I went to the shower so that I could still hear the broadcast even with the blast of water blocking up some of the sound. They mentioned some of the other competitors, Otabek Altin, a figure skater from Kazakstan who made a strong impression on the skating world this year, and Christophe Giacometti, a skater from Switzerland who has been to the Grand Prix a few times, and said to be Viktor's closest competitor.

"Lets talk about a new face to the skating world now." The news reporter said.

"Oh yes! Yuri Katsuki, of Japan!" I heard the other reporter say. I was about to poor shampoo into my hand and paused, startled at the mention of my name.

"This charming young figure skater of 23 years, making his Grand Prix debut! He has had a promising season, being the top figure skater from the Japanese Skating Federation."

"Your right on that one. Yuri took the world by storm. Little is known about this skater but the fact that he has multiple first place medals at other competitions is nothing to laugh at."

I shook my head at their nonsense and continued on shampooing my hair. They spoke about my move to Detroit, and about Celestino but then something I wasn't expecting came up.

"It looks as though, Yuri has gained some pounds since the last competition though. We have a picture of him from today at the airport and a picture of him at his last competition. Here they are side by side." I stopped scrubbing my hair.

Have I really gained weight? Is it that much of a difference? I looked down and patted my stomach area.

"You can see that their is something extra around his face now, slightly rounder, don't you agree?"

I reached up and patted my face.

"Well, the rumour has it that Yuri has gone through some rough experience recently."

I pinched my cheek and dragged my skin out slightly.

"Yes, rumour has it, that his long time family dog had passed away only days before the competition. It must be hard."

How do they know? Who told them? I don't think anyone would-

No.

He couldn't have told the media.

"What can you do? So is the life of a pro. He wasn't available to be around the dog when the family put him down."

Stop talking about Viktor. I flinched as shampoo suds escaped into my eye and started rubbing aggressively at my eyes to get it out.

"Yes, well his father was spotted today at the airport and gave us a chance to speak with him today. We will show that clip just after the break."

Stop. Why was he getting attention?

"What a supportive family. Being here for their son's competition."

No. He's not here for me. He's here to be the good guy. He's not who he looks like. I was rubbing my eyes still, cursing for the suds staying in my eye.

"Family, what a wonderful thing."

"Couldn't have said it any better." The news reporter responded back.

Their was a steady pulsing coming from my ankle, growing more noticeable with every word the reporters were speaking.

"To all the ladies out there too, rumour has it that Yuri has yet to find his Soul Mate."

I bent down in the shower to grasp my ankle, the pain was almost excruciating now.

"Nobody has confirmed what Yuri's mark is, or if he actually has one, but hopefully we will get a chance to speak with him about the topic further at the competition."

"Stop." I spoke out loud. I was having a problem focusing, the suds still falling out of my hair and my ankle pulsating.

"The Katsuki family has a wonderful bond, it would be wonderful if Yuri found his Soul Mate soon."

"No more." I cried out. I stood up and limped out of the shower stall. I limped towards the wall grabbing a towel to wrap around myself before quickly making my way towards the TV, reaching for the remote to turn off the reporters nonsense.

"We will leave you with this last photo before the break, a photo of the loving Katsuki family."

A photo, one that I hadn't seen in ages appeared on the television screen. One that showed me, with my mother and sister and that man. We were all smiling in the photo, huge grins on our face, standing in front of our family inn.

A noise escaped my throat, a cry of some kind. It startled me that I was able to make a noise like that. I shut off the TV and threw the remote across the room before crumpling to the floor in my room.

That photo was from years ago, from a family that was probably already broken at that time, laced with fake smiles in the photo. My ankle kept pulsating.

"Just stop already! You aren't even there anymore!" I shouted out in frustration. I raised a fist up and brought it down over my ankle. I felt a sharp pain but the pain of the unseen mark was stronger.

"Nobody is going to believe you now. It doesn't matter if you win or lose this competition." I screamed out brining my fist up and down again. "He got to the media first. He is just here to taunt me. It's his game. His set." I my had once more. "His match." I said as I brought down my fist once more.


	12. Chapter 12

Un-Beta-ed

I'll probably re-write some of this. It's late into the night and I feel like some of what I wanted to portray got lost. Will put an edit note at the top of this chapter once it's revamped.

Soul Mates

Chapter 12

The day of the Grand Prix was one that I hoped would never come after that night. I hardly caught a wink of sleep, and not for a lack of trying. I forced myself to lie down on my bed after having my mini meltdown. Sleep never came. As soon as I closed my eyes, I saw the same scenes flashing before my eyes of me falling down and failing over again.

Celestino must have noticed because as soon as he saw me, he placed both his hands, non too gently, on my cheeks and squished my face together while grinning in front of me.

We were now in the back room waiting for my turn to start my long program. My short program went okay. I was performing third, after Christophe Giacometti. I was currently in fourth place with the leaders of the Grand Prix being Viktor, Christophe, and Otabek in third. I was sitting down retying my skates for what must have been the 8th time within the past few minutes.

"Listen up, Yuri" Celestino said. "I know your warm up wasn't as great as you wanted it to be, but put that in the past. Remember those little details we worked on. Sharp footwork and clean lines. Focus on what we did." I nodded. I had around 10 minutes before it would finally be my turn on the ice. Christophe was just taking his place on the ice now.

"I'll be back in a minute." I called to Celestino. I pointed towards the toilet and he nodded before turning his attention to the ice as Chris' music started.

I walked towards the bathroom and caught some of the reporters catching a quick interview with Viktor. He was performing last today. As I was walking past behind the reporters, one of them noticed me.

"Yuri! A moment of your time before you compete please!" I paused and turned around to look. Half of the reviews stopped and stared, then they all came rushing towards me.

"Yuri! How does it feel to enter your first Grand Prix?"

"Uhm, it feels-"

"How do you prepare yourself before a big competition?"

"Well, I don't really-"

"How are you doing after the short notice from the passing of your dog?"

Oh. That's right. Everyone wants the juicy gossip. They don't really care about my opinions at all. A normal person would be more cautious around these topics right?

"How are you dealing with the pressure and the expectations, being one of the first figure skaters from Japan to make it to the Grand Prix in years?"

Right. Expectations. I'm supposed to win. Not for Japan, but for my family. I could care less about being one of the first figure skaters from Japan in ages. I'm not really a big deal. I just need to do this and place and get the attention directed towards my family.

"How do you feel knowing that your father will be with you every step of the way?"

"Please, don't mention that man-"

"Hey."

A calm, clear voice called out amongst the noice slightly louder above everyone else. All eyes turned towards the speaker.

I saw Viktor looking at me. I noticed a smile on his face, but there was something else behind it. Something sad. Or at least I thought there was. Whatever it was, was quickly gone from his facial expression.

"He's the next figure skater. Let him prepare before he goes out. You are being a distraction." Viktor said. He looked towards me nodding his head. I nodded back in thanks before making it to my destination.

"Well, you are a pro aren't you Viktor? You never get fazed by the presence of the cameras!" I heard one of the reporters say.

After a quick check in making sure no one else was in the bathroom, I locked the door. I made my way over to the sink and took off my glasses before splashing water on my face. I could hear the voices of the interviewers still.

 _…Expectations and Pressure…_

 _…First in Japan…_

 _…Death of your…_

I shook my head and splashed more water.

Focus. _Focus._

I was feeling the pressure no doubt. Was what I wanted to achieve really possible? I'm only one small human in a society full of those who follow the rules set by others, too afraid to speak out against the social standards of society. Would winning a competition really make a difference? Would i get the required attention to actually make a change?

I felt my breathing pick up. It felt as though the walls in the bathroom were closing in on me, taking out the remaining air in the small room.

But do I really have what it takes to win? I can't possibly win. Viktor will win surly again… The walls felt closer still. I hardly noticed my breathing speeding up.

A loud knocking from the door brought me out of my trance. I gasped hearing Celestino's voice on the other side. Only then did i realize how tightly I was gripping the sink. My knuckles were pale and hurt and I removed my hands from the porcelain sink.

I looked in the mirror once more before making my way out.

"About time!" Celestinio said, grabbing my arm, practically dragging me back to the rink and away from the prying cameras on standby.

Chris' routine was done and he was awaiting his results. He had scored big with a total of 89.79 points, placing him in first place. A pretty comfortable spot. _Considering i won't be placing for a medal._

Stop this.

"Skating next in the Long Program, from Japan, Yuri Katsuki" The speaker announced my arrival onto the ice. I took of my skate guards, giving them to Celestino. He took them from me, and extended his hand back out again. I stared at it before looking up at him. He had a smile on his face. It wasn't one of nervousness. It was a genuine smile. It almost seemed as though it was a smile full of pride.

 _What a foolish smile then._

Focus, Yuri.

I smiled back up at him and took his hand, grasping it in a firm handshake before I was off onto the ice.

I made my way around the rink a few times, testing out the surface before finally making my way to the middle to my starting position.

I crossed my skates, leaned slightly to one side, extended me left arm to the side and bent my right arm over my head to reach towards my other arm. I took a deep breath and waited. Then the music started. I glided out backwards from my position before zipping across the ice to the opposite end of the rink. Celestino had most of my jumps in the first half of my routine since I lacked endurance.

My first set of jumps was a spread eagle into a triple axel. I started spreading my legs to enter into the jump. I took off and over rotated slightly. Not the worst thing that could have happened, but my landing wasn't as clean as it should have been. I could hear some noise in the background but I had no time to be distracted by it.

Focus, Yuri.

I crossed over back down the side of the rink with quick movements and small but sharp flicks of my skates, just like we tried in practice. My second jump was coming up. I picked up my speed as I got ready for my next jump. A quad Salchow. As I rounded the corner of the rink for my jump, a picture on the big screen distracted me.

I saw his face in the screen. It showed him watching my performance. I could make out the smug look across his face as he watched me perform.

"Yuri!" I head Celestino's voice shout out to me. I was close to the board, I had to jump now or I would go right into the board. The timing would be off but I had no choice, so I jumped. I only made it around three times in my jump, but I fell out of it. Hard. Not just a touch out with my hand touching the ice. It was a fall.

I fell.

I failed.

"Up, Yuri!" I heard Celestino shout at me. I somehow managed to find me footing and stand back up on the ice before gliding back down again. I had some time to refocus. It was time for my spin sequence. Or at least I thought I would be able to refocus. The screen still showed my fathers face on it and the spinning made it seem like his face was just a constant appearance throughout the entire arena. There was no way to avoid his gaze as he watched me fall in my routine. I switched legs to spin on my other one, wobbling slightly as I entered the second part of my turn sequence.

He's smirking at me the entire time. He thinks this is just one huge joke.

I exited out of my turn sequence and turned back down the ice. It was time for my next jump. I was getting ready to prep myself again for the jump when the screen in front of me changed. The screen that was once showing my performance zoomed in for the audience was now showing a picture of that man. Two screens now.

Was I really that much of a waste of time that everything though he was more interesting to watch? Well, if I was an outsider, i'd probably want to watch. 'Father teaches his son a lesson'. Yeah, great television. Who wouldn't want to watch that?

I fell again out of my next jump landing hard on my knee. I stood back up again. I could feel the throbbing of a new injury replacing an older one.

You need to prove yourself, Yuri. Focus. Otherwise everything will have been for nothing. I was approaching my final two jumps. I still had a decent change of placing if I landed these two jumps… right?

I didn't land them. Either of them.

I bailed out of my second jump in my first combination. My final jump required me to take off of my newly injured knee. Air time was non-existent in that jump. My music was slowing down to its final moments. I stood back up and glided over to my ending pose. I slid back into the same position that I started in. The music stopped and everything was a blur.

I looked up only to see his face on every possible screen in the arena.

He had won.

I had once chance to save my family. Change the way everyone viewed Soul Mates. I walked over to Celestino in a trance like state. I nearly tripped as I stepped onto the black mats off the ice, but Celestino caught my arm and steadied me before handing me my skate guards. Not a single word was said between us.

We made it over to the Kiss and Cry area. I sat down and waited. 57.26. That was my final score. One of my lowest ever performance scores. My combined total had me down in 4th place.

 _5th place, with three figure skaters left to perform._

I had done so bad that even with three competitors left, I still managed to place myself in 5th even before the rest of the competitors went.

Celestino took my elbow and ushered me up. He was asking me a question but I couldn't pay attention. He stopped me after a few seconds of walking and made me turn towards him.

"Who's face, Yuri?"

What?

"What do you mean, 'Who's Face'?" I asked back.

"You were just repeating 'His face is everyone' and 'turn it off'" I stared at him wide eyed. Had I really been saying that? "Who's face." He repeated the question.

I pointed silently towards the screen.

"Christophe?" Celestino asked.

"What? No." I pointed back towards the screen. His face was everywhere. Clear as day.

"Yuri…"Celistino paused for a few seconds before finally speaking again. "There is no face on the screen. These screens are specifically focused on the competitors or their coaches the entire duration of the event." I froze.

His face was clearly there. I turned back towards the screen and looked but all I saw was the skating rink. Otabek was getting ready to start his performance. The cameras were zoomed on his face, displaying his intense concentration.

I felt a slight tugging on my elbow again as Celestino lead me away from the rink and into the back.

Nobody else saw his face. Why was I the only one to see him?

Celestino brought me towards one of the benches and told me to sit while he went to grab me a water bottle.

He placed our bags down and left down the hall. There was a ringing that escaped from one of the bag shortly after. I reached into my bag and grabbed my phone. I looked at the caller ID and took a deep breath before picking up the phone.

"Yuri!" an excited voice called out from the other end. "Congratulations on your first Grand Prix!" my mother called out.

"Oh, thank you." I responded mutely into the phone.

"Are you okay though? Some of the falls looked pretty scary! You're not injured or anything are you? It looked almost as though you were in pain while you were skating! Did anything distract you? Are you hurt?"

Oh. That means that everyone saw that expression then. Was anyone else able to tell? It must have only been mother who could tell. Mothers intuition or something like that. Yeah, thats it.

I turned to look towards where Celestino disappeared and could see the news reporters down near to where he was but nobody made any move to speak with Celestino. None of them batted an eye towards me down the hall. I was old news now.

I had failed.

"Listen, mother. I have to go. I'll answer all your questions later." I hung up the phone and dropped my arm back in my lap. My phone bounced out of my hold and onto the bench.

I had failed.


	13. Chapter 13

To the guest reviewer who said that I shouldn't put too much angst into this story. Thank you for that. I want the angst in this story and I'm glad that you are feeling that it is too much. Situations like these are serious situations, much like similar situations in our own society. These things aren't solved over night. They can last for years, and keep affecting others long after the situation is solved. Yuri is a complex character who has gone through a lot of hardships. To suddenly have everything be better overnight would be a crime and unrealistic. Yuri is on his way to healing but the angst is still needed. I am glad that I am making you feel that way, because that means that I am doing my job as the author of getting my vision across to my readers. I'm sorry if others feel the same way and if it makes you uncomfortable, but that is just this kind of story.

Un-Beta-Ed

Soul Mates

Chapter 12

"What's a Soul Mate?" I asked my mother one day as she was washing up the dishes. I was around the age of three at the time. I had overheard some of the adults speaking to my mother about it.

"Well… It's like a best friend, but more." She responded back as she set down the current dish into a drying rack.

"It's the one person in the world who knows you better than anyone else." She paused for a second before turning and looking at me with a smile before continuing, "It's someone who makes you a better person." She turned back to her dishes and laughed briefly at herself shaking her head. "Actually, they don't make you a better person. You do that yourself, because they inspire you."

She paused her washing again and turned off the water before bending down to my height. She dried off her hands on her apron and placed one hand on top of my head. "A Soul Mate is someone who you carry with you forever." She gave a quick sigh before standing up and walking around the kitchen towards the table to gather some more dirty dishes. "It's the one person who knew you and accepted you, or believed in you before anyone else did- When no one else would." She picked up her dishes and walked back towards the sink before dropping them in.

She turned once again and smiled at me "And no matter what happens, you will always love them. Nothing can ever change that."

* * *

I sighed as I got out of bed. It had been about two months since my loss at the Grand Prix finals. I had yet to return home to visit everyone. I couldn't go back home yet. I was defeated, a total loser. I had made it to the airport with Celestino but was unable to get onto the plane. I saw Viktor there. All was well until he spotted me. I was ready to face my life at home in what was sure to be chaos waiting for me. That was until Viktor asked me a simple question.

"Did you want to get a photo with me?"

I was dumbfounded. Yesterday he was defending me from the prying eyes of the media before my performance and the Grand Prix and now I was just another one of his fans. No more, no less. A bystander. A stalker. I wasn't worthy enough to be deemed as an opponent towards Viktor and his skating. I grabbed my suitcase and walked out of the airport and didn't look back.

Celestino and my family had left numerous phone calls on my phone. I couldn't reply back. After about a week of non-stop calling, I finally texted saying that I was still alive, and for them not to worry about me. I needed time to figure out what I wanted to do, what I could do.

I realized that it was foolish of me to put all of my playing cards into skating and making an impression at the Grand Prix. Obviously, I wasn't the skater who everyone thought I was. I should have had a back up plan.

I was roaming around from place to place. I had traveled from Sochi over to Moscow, then went across Europe and found myself in Berlin. Truth be told, I don't even know how I ended up here. It was just endless days of walking, staying in cheep hotels, and more walking on an endless cycle. I couldn't communicate with most people as I never spoke the native language. There weren't many English speakers and even fewer Japanese speakers. In each place I stayed in, I managed to find a skating rink.

I was fed up with skating. I wanted no part of it, but it kept creeping up in weird ways. There would be advertisements of a local rink in the hotel, or showing past skating competitions on the television, or children walking around with skates on their backs. I was done with skating, so why did i feel the need to follow these leads and explore their rinks?

I eventually gave in one day and followed one of the maps on a pamphlet while in Berlin. I stumbled across an outdoor skating rink called Horst-Dohm. A simple circle track out in the open. I pulled out my skates for the first time in months and put them on and tied them in a muscle memory induced pattern.

My first steps on the ice were terrifying. I felt everything once I had made contact with the ice. My falls, the laughing, the failure, but I was shook out of it, as a little boy bumped into my leg.

 _"Tschuldigung!"_ The child said to me before taking off down the rink. I had stayed in Germany long enough now to know small words like "Sorry" and the likes. An older lady came up to me and started speaking in fast German to me. I shook my hands franticly and spoke in heavily accented English to her saying "I can't speak German."

"Ahh!" She laughed. "That was my son who bumped into you, sorry." She spoke with an accent back to me in English. A breath of relief washed over me as she said so. Communication was one of my biggest fears now. "What brings you to Berlin? Do you have a traveling partner?"

I shook my head. "I don't know what brings me here." I replied honestly back. A man skated up to us and stopped next to the woman and picked up her hand. She spoke a few quick words to the man and then turned back to me and spoke in English.

"If you need a place to stay in the meantime, you are welcome to stay with our family."

 _Family._ The word buzzed out to me. A warming sense flowed down into the core of my body.

The gentleman who I assumed was her husband, nodded in encouragement to his wife's words.

"It is the least we can do, after my son bumped into you. Plus, we can work on his English together as a means of payment, if that's what is going to stop you from accepting." She winked at me.

I laughed slightly and agreed to step out of my comfort zone and accept their hospitality.

* * *

A week had passed. A week and a half. Two weeks. I was enjoying my time with this family. I had told them that I was away from home as he situation was hard. Nothing more, nothing less. Everything was great until one day, the boys mother said my full name.

"Yuri Katsuki." I paused in my task of teaching her child English and looked up towards her. I had never told her my full name. Only that I was called Yuri. They never told me their full names. Just their first names. It was a mutual agreement between all of us. I was just a wandering boy stopping by before continuing on my journey.

She looked up sadly at me before asking, almost pleading, for me to speak with her. And not just your average conversation, she wanted me to open up to her. She sent her son away to his bedroom to continue practicing.

I found myself sitting at their kitchen table with my hands twitching nervously under the table. I didn't know where to begin. So she began for me.

Adelina, as she called herself, began to tell me about her journey in life.

"I had met my Soul Mate when I was just 3 years old."

A pounding in my ankle that had been long since forgotten started up again at the mention of Soul Mates.

"My parents were ecstatic for me. I was too. I had no idea what it meant to find your Soul Mate, only that it was supposed to feel right. But it wasn't. Nothing felt right about this." She paused before continuing. She nodder her head towards the door. "I became pregnant with my son at the age of 15, and not by my choice."

The weight of this conversation had finally reached it's point. She was telling me her story so I could trust her.

"Of course, my son is the light of my life. I love him and adore for him. But the father was a monster. I couldn't even begin to think of raising my unborn child with him. So I ran. I ran and I ran and I ran. The father tried to find me of course. But I was lucky enough to run into Markus first." Markus, I had learned later on, was the current man who was living with the family.

"Soul Mates are supposed to keep you safe, make you feel loved. They are the one person who understands you better than anyone else." A pang of familiarity rose in my chest.

"That's what Markus was to me. A safe spot. He didn't judge me at all, being 15 and pregnant and running away from home. Instead, he ran away from his home with me. He stayed with me throughout my pregnancy, helped care for me when I was no longer able to work, and helped me raise my son. That's what a true Soul Mate is to me, Yuri." She reached a hand out and wiped the tears that had escaped unknown to me on my face. I flinched back from her touch. She paused for a moment before continuing her reach towards me. I stayed still this time and allowed her to do as she pleased.

"It is hard to live in an abused relationship with your Soul Mate. Trust me, I know. I don't need you to tell me your story entirely. I just want you to know, that there are others who can help you, and others who will help you. Not everyone feels the same way about Soul Mates." She stood up and turned around to me. She lifted her shirt slightly up and showed me her lower back.

I averted my eyes at first, before she encouraged me to look. I looked carefully and saw a tree, full of life with roots digging into the ground. It was beautiful.

"Is that your Soul Mate mark?" I asked.

"It was at one point." She lowered her shirt back and sat back down in her chair. "Originally, my mark were three doves in that exact spot."

I was confused right away. From my knowledge, Soul Mate marks didn't change.

"There is a special artist here in Berlin, who works with Soul Mates in abused relationships. He gives their marks new meanings by tattooing over them. It took me a while before I decided on what I wanted. I decided on the Tree since Markus is the roots to my new family, my new life, and the life I wanted to raise my son in."

I couldn't help the feeling of happiness in my chest. I felt like I could use this, somehow. Maybe the situation in Japan would be harder to bring everyone's attention to it, but if it works in other parts of the world, then maybe I can bring some of this back with me.

I asked Adelina if she could introduce me to the tattoo artist. The next day we set out to meet him. He was a humble man by the nam of Rollan. I spoke with him about how he reached out to others and how those broken Soul Mates found him. There wasn't a lot of information he could offer me though. It was mostly through word of mouth as Soul Mates who were abusive were such a taboo topic. After a few moments of silence, I told Rollan that I wanted to do something to my mark.

He studied me for a few moments before he nodded towards me and asked me to show him my marking. I rolled up the hem of my pants. I felt a hand behind me and looked at Adelina standing behind me with unspoken words of support evident on her face. Rollan asked me to tell him what my mark was.

I stared at him for a moment before pointing back towards it.

"Yes, I can see it, Yuri. But what exactly is your mark?" He asked me again.

I looked down at the area of my ankle and opened my mouth to respond but no words came out. I closed my mouth before trying again to say my answer but my mind was drawing a blank. I shook my head and stared at him before speaking.

"I can't remember."

A look of sadness passed his face for a brief second before he stood up and walked towards me. He took my hand firmly in his and said. "Your Soul Mate is not to blame for your aches, Yuri. Trust me, you do not want to cover this up until you meet your true Soul Mate. If the one you meet with the same mark, is not the one for you, then come back and see me. Please, don't do anything to this mark on your body, not yet." He said to me.

He knew. He knew of my hatred for these marks but yet he would not cover it up. The pounding in my ankle grew stronger with heat flaring around it.

He put his hand over the area where my mark should have been, still unseen to my eyes and said. "It's a beautiful mark, Yuri. I know you will do something special." He smiled at me with words of encouragement.

We left the shop back towards Adelina's house. This would be my last day with the family as I would be leaving on a plane back to Japan the next day. I had stayed away from home for long enough.

As I went to sleep that night, my mothers words played back in my head.

 _And no matter what happens, you will always love them._

 _Nothing can ever change that._


End file.
